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IT, SECURITY & DIGITAL SECTOR NEWS

Cyber security – ensure all your bases are covered

Cyber security is a critical issue for all organisations. However, although all organisations are at equal risk of attack, not all have equal resources or expertise to deal with the threats they face. Damages incurred by information security incidents generally aren’t covered in commercial insurance policies, so a specific policy is necessary to help cover the costs. These costs can include things like forensic investigation, incident response and notification procedures. A cyber insurance policy doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you will receive aid following a data breach. Most policies include provisions requiring organisations to follow certain information security best practices. The most common reasons that insurers reject cyber insurance claims are failure to conduct regular vulnerability scans, document an incident response plan, protect data in transit, inspect the security practices of third parties and perform staff awareness training. Cyber insurance is becoming increasingly more complicated and expensive to secure, and insurers are now demanding more from organisations to prove they are not negligent when an incident occurs. If your organisation already has the NCSC’s basic controls in place, or is Cyber Essentials certified, Cyber Safeguard is the perfect next step to safeguard your organisation with additional peace of mind that you have quick access to cyber insurance as and when your organisation needs it most.

How IT Governance can help

Cyber Safeguard protects businesses against cyber attacks quickly and cost-effectively with expert support, training and tools. With Cyber Safeguard, you get access to dedicated cyber security expertise, legal support and specialised cyber insurance cover of up to £500,000 for added peace of mind. If your organisation requires a more involved programme, Cyber Security as a Service expands on Cyber Safeguard, providing guidance from a dedicated cyber security expert and a more comprehensive set of tools.

Cyber Security Leadership

Let’s take a quick look at cyber security leadership… Here’s an interesting question to ponder for a few minutes. How much value do you place on three hours of your time as a business or organisational leader? Maybe you thought along the lines of “that’s nearly half a day, I can get lots done in that time”, or “three hours, three meetings, three things dealt with”. Now ponder this, you’ve just been told that your business has been hit by a ransomware attack and you’re the person the team are looking to for quick decision making on how you’re going to respond. Your critical systems are at risk of being taken offline and your highly sensitive customer data is under threat, this could damage your business for a long time. Would investing three hours of your time in building your cyber security knowledge be worthwhile if it meant you could mitigate some of these risks? It’s an unavoidable reality that 100 per cent security from cyber-attacks targeting your business systems and information is impossible, so sending yourself or your leadership team to be trained in cyber and information security may seem like a luxury use of valuable time. However, this training, as opposed to that you would give the IT team or frontline staff, provides the information you need to be able to reduce risk. We focus on delivering actionable insights in our training which relate directly to elements that can be implemented in the business, ensuring that your cyber security strategy is specific to the risk profile of your business is key in it being effective. If you’re keen to mix with and learn from other leaders across a range of industries our cyber security training for business owners and leaders runs for three hours and could be instrumental in you building a more protected business. You can find out more at www.cyberscale.co.uk.

An incident response, sometimes referred to as an IR, is a set of security policies and procedures. These are in place to identify, contain, and eliminate cyber-attacks. The primary goal of an incident response is to halt such cyber-attacks, minimise potential damage and prevent an attack occurring in the future. Having an incident response process is vital. This would include the various stages of preparation, detection, restoration, and prevention. Planning is key. Having an incident response plan will ensure both prevention and a response are established if an incident occurs. Secondly, detection identifies the source of the breach, regardless of where it originated. At this stage, information needs to be collected to learn more regarding the situation. Thirdly, once information has been gathered regarding the breach, restoring, and recovering data is needed in this restoration stage. Then lastly, a central part of the incident response process is preventing incidents from happening in the first place. The prevention stage is a matter of learning from previous incidents to improve the process. If you are in need of IT support, please visit www.cambridgesupport.com

More support needed for women planning to work beyond retirement age

Employers are being urged to give more support to older women in the workplace following reports suggesting that more than half plan to work past their retirement age. A poll conducted by Working Wise reveals that 52 per cent of women approaching retirement age believe they will have to continue working to support their pension to meet a financial shortfall. Nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of respondents said their reduced pension payments were a likely result of going part time or taking a career break, with two-thirds (64 per cent) saying they chose to stop paying into their pension altogether because they either went part time or took time off work. The survey also suggests: • A third (34 per cent) needed to reduce their working hours due to a health issue • 28 per cent said their progression was held back due to the menopause • Caring responsibilities have affected 63 per cent of respondents • Of those currently employed, 25 per cent felt their current employer was unsupportive of older women in the workplace • Re-entering the workplace was a challenge in terms of the process for 31 per cent of older women looking for a new job in the last five years. However, with a huge positive shift in work/life balance over the past couple of years and greater flexibility, Peterborough-based Anne Corder Recruitment says older women can and will add value to your business. Experience, life skills, a sound work ethic and confidence are among the qualities that can put older workers in the driving seat – as well as being sought-after traits by employers, says the recruitment specialist. Recruitment specialist Rebecca Moore said: “The results of this poll make for some difficult reading, particularly when looking at the reasons many of the respondents are giving for taking a career break or reducing their hours. “Older workers offer a wealth of benefits to the workplace including an already sound work ethic, and the confidence and/or experience to take on any task and succeed. “There is much to be gained mutually for employer and employee. Many organisations are keen to retain and reward staff of a high calibre, regardless of age – and the member of staff can in turn reap the benefits of incentives like flexible working and performancerelated rewards.” Rebecca added: “Employers themselves have had to adapt to changes in the working landscape over the past two years, with the pandemic and its aftereffects a learning curve for many. “The workplace is vastly different to how it used to be. Flexible working and working from home have meant that people have become more personally accountable for their own work/life balance, and no age group should be overlooked when recruiting.”