Member Article

Government launches cyber security scheme

Government intelligence agency GCHQ has launched an initiative to target senior businesspeople and demonstrate the need to protect their businesses from cyber threats.

The Cyber Security Guidance for Business was launched at an event attended by FTSE 1000 CEOs and Chairs, Ministers from BIS, the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office, Home Office and seniors from intelligence agencies.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: “Cyber crime is a serious problem which affects businesses of all sizes and can have devastating consequences.

“That is why we have funded the expansion of the Police Central e-Crime Unit in the Metropolitan Police and SOCA’s Cyber Unit, and established three regional cyber specialist hubs to help combat the threat. We will build on this by introducing a dedicated cyber crime unit in the new National Crime Agency.”

The guidance aims to minimise risks to company assets in the private sector, and was produced by the CESG (the information security arm of GCHQ), BIS and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI).

It will help to assist senior executives in determining their critical information assets, offer guidance for businesses on how together the UK’s networks can be made more resilient, and detailed cyber security information and advice for 10 critical areas.

To coincide with the launch, Zurich Insurance have published the results of a study into the risk posed by cyber crime.

As part of the publication, Richard Coleman, director of SME at Zurich, said: “Companies understandably feel exposed by both more established cyber threats and also new emerging risks such as those around cloud computing.

“But it is vital that they are prepared for the unexpected and implement clear, effective strategies and frameworks to tackle any cyber incident which may occur.

“While it is very positive to see many small businesses wanting to expand overseas, particularly via the web, in order to make such expansions as successful and seamless as possible businesses must again ensure they have adequate protection and measures in place to avoid a cyber threat scuppering expansion plans. The Zurich security checklist offers a timely prompt to businesses that feel exposed to cyber attack.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .