The future of UK cyber protection 

Cybercrime and particularly state-sponsored attacks are on the rise, so what can you do to protect yourself from an attack in the UK? Trustmarque’s Cyber Delivery Director, Tara Scholes tells how we are responding.   

With recent targets like postal voting systems, national water suppliers and also various NHS Trusts, it seems that highly-sophisticated cyber gangs are prepared to wreak havoc across the UK. Post-pandemic technology advances have been fast-tracked to support business processes and modern ways of working. However, without adequate supporting cyber resilience, they are a tempting route for cybercriminals to prey on. The figures are telling – according to NCSC, in the last 12 months 39% of UK businesses identified a cyber-attack (phishing, spoofing, ransomware, malware, or IoT hacking). So what can be done to avoid being in the firing line in 2023 and beyond? 

We caught up with Tara Scholes, Cyber Delivery Director at Trustmarque, to hear about the advancements in cyber security and how we are staying at the forefront of cyber protection in the UK. 

What can you tell us about the cyber threat landscape right now in the UK? 

Tara Scholes: “After Covid 19, the shift to hybrid is still being felt – networking functions have pushed ahead with supporting remote workforces and facilitating hybrid-working. On the other side of the coin, cybersecurity teams have been working overtime to patch up any weaknesses in the cyber armour, uncovered during the transition hybrid working.  

The UK is operating under heightened awareness due to what is happening around the world with wars and ongoing conflicts. Alarmingly, we are hearing that insurers like Lloyd’s of London are pulling the plug on insurance coverage for state-sponsored cyber-attacks. The number of organisations that would not be able to afford cyber insurance, would end up with insufficient coverage, or be refused coverage altogether, could double by the end of 2023. We are helping customers to develop their own insurance policy, through powerful data protection and cyber recovery solutions.” 

What’s on the horizon in the cyber security space? 

Tara: “There’s always something. We operate in an ever-changing space. As a trusted cyber security partner, we are encouraging clients to think more holistically about security and risk, all year-round. Rather than the traditional route of only opting for penetration testing as and when required. This is why we are looking at wider services to complement our already successful penetration testing offering, such as launching a Managed Vulnerability Assessment service in the coming months. This is just the start for us, looking ahead our aim is to continue to offer services to ensure our customers are better informed, and better protected.” 

How does Trustmarque keep up to date with cyber security trends? 

Tara: “Research, communication and information sharing across the industry is key, as well as ensuring our people have access to the right training, support and qualifications to deliver our services. That’s why we recently joined the UK Cyber Scheme which provides the highest standard of Government approved examinations available, as well as training and material to support a career in Cyber. After several rounds of exams and other criteria, we’ve proven we have some of the best penetration testers in the UK.” 

What does the cyber scheme membership give to our clients? 

Tara Scholes: “Our membership into the Cyber Scheme has given us a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of cyber and to influence the cyber industry for the better. The scheme champions commonality and helps us look beyond the buzzwords – meaning the sector is more transparent and less confusing for clients. We are pushing ahead with holding the highest standard of industry-recognised qualifications and will continue to work with other organisations such as NCSC and CREST to help shape the future of cyber in the UK.  

Through this we are working with customers to help them choose where they need to make investments to protect their organisations to close down any risks and gaps. We know that prevention is the best cure, and we are on a mission to support our clients on their road to cyber protection.” 

Conclusion

It should be noted that governments and states are not the only culprits behind cybercrime. Criminal gangs also cost the UK billions of pounds, through attacks which target essential services, large corporations and citizens as well.  

Your cyber security requirements are different to anyone else’s and with a myriad of cyber security suppliers and solutions, knowing which ones you need to protect your IT environment can be overwhelming. This is where Trustmarque can help. 

Written by Julia Bluckert