Report finds Thames Valley Police and Bucks Fire and Rescue “not fully prepared” for threat of cyberattacks
A report has found that police forces and fire and rescue services across the country are “not fully prepared” for the threat of cyberattacks.
A report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) says services including Thames Valley Police and Bucks Fire and Rescue Service, which cover Buckinghamshire, need to “urgently” protect their systems from the threat of cyberattacks.
The report says cybersecurity risks in the UK and around the world are increasing, and says opportunities cannot be missed to strengthen cybersecurity arrangements.
Among the findings from the inspectorate highlighted in the report were that “committed and capable personnel were working hard to keep systems secure”, and that there was “some gradual improvement in cybersecurity arrangements across both sectors.”
However, it acknowledged that “many forces and services still have much work to do to address recurring areas of weakness”, for example modernising IT systems.
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer OBE said: “The cyber threat to police forces and fire and rescue services is significant and expanding rapidly.
“A major cyberattack is not a hypothetical scenario and successful attacks have been disruptive, put the public at risk and were expensive to fix.
“While there have been gradual improvements, many forces and services still need to urgently redouble their efforts to respond to the increased risk of cyberattacks.
“Cybersecurity should be viewed as a core organisational priority and not solely a technical risk.
“Leaders need to prioritise and invest in their cybersecurity arrangements to improve their organisation’s ability to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from attacks.
“The government’s programme of police reform and local government reorganisation could offer both sectors’ opportunities to improve and better co-ordinate the approach to cybersecurity.
“These opportunities to strengthen cybersecurity cannot be missed. Protecting systems and data is essential to protecting the public.”
In its summary, HMICFRS has made 13 recommendations which it says should strengthen cybersecurity which include:
> Making sure all forces and services achieve baseline standards for cybersecurity capabilities
> Introducing robust external validation of services’ assessments of cybersecurity capabilities
> Improving the procurement and contract management of third-party ICT suppliers
> Enhancing collaborative arrangements between government and policing cybersecurity leads
> Promoting the use of the Police Digital Service’s National Management Centre, and creating a similar national capability for services
> Increasing the preparedness of services to respond to a cyberattack
> Better supporting learning and development for senior leaders and cybersecurity staff