Government Cyber Security Strategy: will it make the public sector safer?

Published earlier this year, the first-of-its-kind Government Cyber Security Strategy set out a roadmap to make all public bodies across the UK “resilient to known vulnerabilities and attack methods” by the end of this decade.

This pledge covers a wide range of threats that continue to prove hugely successful for attackers, including malware, denial of service and, perhaps most notably, phishing. Ensuring resilience will also require protecting millions of email accounts across the public sector with technical tools and – crucially – widespread adoption of best practice among employees.

The strategy set out a two-pronged approach to reaching its stated aim; the first part of the plan addresses the “structures, mechanisms, tools and support” that collectively constitute the public sector’s protection against cyberthreats.

The second core element of the strategy is characterised as an ambition for public services to “defend as one”, by better sharing data and expertise, so as to enable a joined-up response across agencies.

Given that central government alone is comprised of more than 450 departments and agencies, this represents a seriously ambitious objective.

This webinar, hosted by PublicTechnology and Egress, will explore how it can be achieved. In an hour-long discussion, a panel of cyber experts from both the public and private sectors will examine the Government Cyber Security Strategy, and ask whether it sets the right targets, and the right course to reach them.

In addition to welcoming questions from the audience throughout the event, our panellists will discuss:

The current threat landscape facing government and the wider public sector
How to protect email and other major attack surfaces
The most urgent issues facing public services providers
What support is needed from all stakeholders, including ministers, senior officials, industry, and specialist bodies like the NCSC
The success of early initiatives and policies, such as the planned ‘Gov Assure’ resilience audits
Will the strategy make the public sector safer – and what factors will define its success in doing so?