Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: New laws to protect consumers from cyber criminals come into force in the UKFound: New laws to protect consumers from cyber criminals come into force in the UK
Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: New laws to protect consumers from cyber criminals come into force in the UKFound: New laws to protect consumers from cyber criminals come into force in the UK
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the UK Defence and Security Exports Export Faculty’s collaboration with the wider departmental Export Academy.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The UK Defence and Security Exports Export Faculty was designed to operate in parallel with the departmental Export Academy, but is specifically focussed on the defence, security and cyber security sectors. The Faculty and the Academy are both operating successfully.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times NHS trusts have been victims of ransomware attacks in the last 12 months; and whether (a) data has been (i) lost and (ii) made public and (b) a ransom has been paid in each case.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A small number of cyber-attacks against National Health Service hospitals have been made public, but the specific details on the number, nature, and subsectors of NHS organisations that have been victims of a ransomware attack in the last twelve months cannot be released, as it may prejudice the prevention or detection of cyber-attacks against the NHS.
Our around-the-clock cyber monitoring across over 1.5 million NHS computers allows us to identify that ransomware is the most significant cyber security threat currently facing the health and social care sector. Automated cyber defences and monitoring by NHS England’s Cyber Operations teams continuously deter, prevent, and disrupt attempts to break into the NHS’ IT systems. The NHS implements the Government’s policy of not condoning ransom payment.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department issues on how (a) schools, (b) NHS trusts and (c) other public bodies should respond to ransomware attacks.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The world leading National Cyber Security Centre provides comprehensive guidance to all UK public bodies on how to respond to ransomware attacks, which can be found. The guidance is clear that central Government funds will not be used by Government departments or Arms Length Bodies (ALBs) to pay ransomware demands and this stance was publicly reiterated in November 2023 when the UK, along with other members of the Counter Ransomware Initiative, signed a joint statement discouraging anyone from paying a ransomware demand.
NHS England and the Department for Education provide bespoke guidance for their respective sectors which is consistent with the wider government’s approach. The Department is committed to harnessing expertise on this subject, including recently hosting a roundtable discussion on academic security with the support of the NCSC, to ensure that guidance continues to be appropriate for the developing threat.
Apr. 26 2024
Source Page: Government to launch new consultation to protect UK universities from security threatsFound: Government to launch new consultation to protect UK universities from security threats
Written Evidence Apr. 26 2024
Committee: Treasury Committee (Department: HM Treasury)Found: numerous occasions to respond to geo-political developments, from human rights abuses in China, to cyber-related
Estimate memoranda Apr. 26 2024
Committee: Parliamentary Works Estimates Commission CommitteeFound: partner to the D elivery Authority and subsequently to Parliament , alongside further improve ments in cyber
Found: any actual or foreseeable negative effects on civic disc ourse and electoral processes, and public security
Apr. 25 2024
Source Page: Report by the Head of OSCE Mission to Moldova, April 2024: UK responseFound: We believe the Mission must be granted unfettered access to the Security Zone to continue its vital monitoring