TECH & AI
“ THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO NOT STICK YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND”
Warren O’ Driscoll Head of Security Practice, Services & Solutions for the UK & Ireland NTT DATA
This is particularly relevant for the energy and utilities sector, where firms often aren’ t used to conducting such thorough assessments outside their known circle of risks.
Q. HOW SHOULD BOARDS BE PREPARING FOR THE UK’ S CYBER SECURITY AND RESILIENCE BILL NOW?
» Cyber Essentials [ the UK Government-backed scheme to protect businesses online ] should really be the absolute bare minimum. But the truth is that, for larger, more complex organisations, even the so-called‘ basic’ requirements just can’ t always be met.
Take patching, for example: it’ s really difficult, especially in environments where some technologies are decades old and can’ t be effectively protected in this way. Because of this, boards often ask what the smallest thing is that they can realistically do to make a difference.
The most important thing is to not stick your head in the sand. If boards get good advice and follow it, they can start to address most of these issues today, but in reality it is about being open to change and not adopting the“ well, this has never happened to me” attitude.
Just because you make baked beans, rather than bullets or bombs, that doesn’ t mean you’ re not a target. This is exactly why so much pressure has been placed on boards; they can no longer just point back to ISO standards and call it a day.
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