Cybercrime is effecting all aspects of daily life, from businesses, and hospitals to personal social media accounts, but how can the government boost cybersecurity in the UK?
Cybercrime has been around almost as long as the internet has, and there is always someone out there wanting to compromise data, swindle and deceive, some with monetary drive, others for the dark web glory.
As cybercrime is on the rise, the government seem to be struggling to keep on top of just how rapid the increase is.
However, we have seen a fantastic response so far from the UK government in regards to plans implemented for the skills gap and the UK’s cyber defences.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has provided £20 million for extracurricular cyber security lessons in schools, which will provide a cybersecurity curriculum.
This aims to educate and inform teenagers aged 14 – 18 over the next five years in an aim to increase defences against hackers. The cyber school program will mix classroom and online teaching with real-life practical applications.
There is also the new National Cyber Security Strategy, which was launched by Philip Hammond, investing £1.9 billion into the UK’s cyber defences, deterrents and development, and the governmental digital strategy.
The government digital strategy has been under a huge change over the past 5 years, rebuilding services to make everything ‘digital by default’ and introducing new digital professions.
There will now be a collaboration across governmental departments, losing the traditional ‘boundaries’. An improved digital government can strengthen capacity and capabilities, use the appropriate safeguards, and make data easier to share across government but managed securely.
The new strategy is especially important since the vote to leave the EU as this has increased the need to be responsive and adaptive to new environments.
Mark James, ESET IT Security Specialist, offers his professional advice on what aspects the government can improve to further increase cybersecurity in the UK.
“For security to work, people need to be more aware of how it affects them directly and be clear on what they can and cannot do themselves to make it work.
“Knowing what help is available and how they can attain it is one of the biggest hurdles they face.
“Effective cybersecurity is achieved through a multi-layered approach that involves knowledge or expertise in multiple fields.
“Where the government can excel and boost in this area is bringing together options and information to make it easier for the average company to gain access to these resources and understand for them what it means to be cyber aware.
“Working together is one of the best ways in understanding the risks UK businesses face and what needs to be done to keep them safer.”
Do you think the UK government have boosted cyber security? Let us know on Twitter @ESETUK.
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