As 2017 comes to a close, we’d like to draw your attention to a number of the cyber security stories we’ve talked about this year that we think you’ll find interesting, thought provoking and perhaps, in some cases, concerning.
WannaCry
Of course, the story that caught all of the mainstream headlines this year was the WannaCry ransomware attack that crippled the NHS, infected hundreds of thousands of computers and put cyber security in the spotlight. As the story unwound over 2017 we talked a lot about the lessons that could be learned from it.
- Three Lessons From The NHS Cyber Attack
- Hospitals To Receive £21 Million Following WannaCry Cyber Attack
- Major Global Cyber Attack – Is Petya A WannaCry 2?
- WannaCry Exposes Basic IT Security Failings In The NHS
- British Government Admits North Korea Carried Out WannaCry
- NHS Turn To Ethical Hackers With £20 Million Cyber Security Project
Important Cyber Security Knowledge
Throughout the year moves have been made to help organisations become more cyber secure.
In October 2017, the Government released the Industry Security Notice DEFCON 658 that states all suppliers to Defence who bid for new contracts from the MOD need to show that they meet the cyber security standards mandated by the MOD. It states Cyber Essentials certification is a mandatory requirement for organisations wishing to win business with the MOD.
- Industry Supplier Guidance On DEFCON 658 And Cyber Risk Explained
- Scottish Government Cyber Resilience Action Plan
- European Cyber Security Month
- What Is The Cyber Security Model?
GDPR
On 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect. GDPR is the European Union’s attempt to bring data protection up to date with the new or previously unforeseen ways that data could be used and will affect Britain regardless of Brexit. Those that fail to comply are set to incur large fines.
With this in mind, we suggest reading up on the subject and making sure that your organisation is going to be good to go once GDPR is introduced.
Russia
Accusations of Russian cyber hacks are nothing new; many believe that Russian hacking of emails had an impact on the result of the 2016 United States election. In 2017 Russia continued to be synonymous with cyber hacks, and has even been accused of targeting the UK in the process.
- Russian Hackers Accused Of Targeting UK
- The New Cyber Cold War?
- Cyber Security Knowledge-Sharing Might Not Work For Trump And Putin, But What About The Rest Of Us?
UK Government
The UK Government has come under scrutiny this year due to the perceived careless attitude to cyber security that some MPs have displayed, particularly in the wake not just of WannaCry but also attacks on both the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
- Careless Attitude To Cyber Security Amongst MPs
- Cyber Attack On UK Parliament
- Cyber Attack On Scottish Parliament
How Easy Is It To Carry Out A Cyber Attack?
Earlier in the year we conducted an interview with Geoff Siskind of the popular Hackable? podcast that we recommend you read. In it he talks about how his own thoughts on cyber security have evolved during the production of the show. We also have the cyber crime statistics from 2016-17 which many will find shocking.
Warnings for the future
Heading into 2018, the number of warnings that many in the UK are not prepared for a cyber attack has to be concerning. UK organisations must take events such as WannaCry as a sign of what could lie ahead and prepare accordingly.
- Category One Cyber Attack WILL Happen Warns UK’s Security Boss
- UK Firms Not Prepared In The Event Of A Cyberattack
- UK Trails Behind Rest Of The World In Cyber Security
- Cyber Security UK Skills Gap
Cyber Essentials
As we head into 2018, the first step to keep your organisation safe from potential future cyber attacks is to be certified with Cyber Essentials.
Certification to the Government’s Cyber Essentials Scheme is a mandatory requirement for organisations wishing to win business with the MOD, and can help your organisation prepare and defend itself against malicious cyber attacks, regardless of the sector you operate in.
