North East information security specialist David Lloyd has been selected as the regional link with police to help inform and educate businesses about cyber security threats.
David, who heads Newcastle-based Signacure Resilience, will act as champion to support the operation of the North East launch of CiSP’s (Cybersecurity Information Sharing Partnership) regional information sharing initiative, on behalf of the UK’s National Computer Emergency Response Team, CERT-UK.
He was nominated as the cyber security champion for an area stretching from Berwick to Teesside by the North East Regional Special Operations Unit and will be working with the police to help businesses of all sizes take preventative measures to protect against cybercrime. As CiSP champion, David will act as a point of contact for businesses and organisations that want to know more about how to go about applying for access and using the CiSP resources.
The CiSP network was launched in 2013 as a key component of the UK’s Cyber Security Strategy and businesses in the North East will have the opportunity to discover more about the initiative at an event in December.
David said: “We hear and read almost daily about businesses falling victim to cyber related issues and this can lead to a sense of not knowing where to start in protecting information. The CiSP is a secure tool for organisations to learn and benefit from advice provided by both Government and industry and to exchange information about threats and vulnerabilities in real time. It means businesses can share best practice on dealing with threats, whether they are malware, phishing emails or attempts to hack into your system and quickly be able to understand if a perceived threat is actually a real one and know how to act quickly.
“At the event in December, we will be demonstrating the value of applying for access to the platform, which is free to access and use. By showcasing some of the great tools at our disposal such as early warning alerts with advice on how to respond.
“Businesses are losing a lot of time and money because of the threats in cyberspace. The event will be especially useful for SMEs that rely on the credibility of their business structure but don’t have the time or specialist knowledge to guarantee its security and availability.”
In his role, David will be encouraging businesses’ to join and actively take part in CiSP’s North East regional sharing initiative. DS Martin Wilson of Durham Constabulary, Regional Cyber PROTECT Co-ordinator who is the regional police point of contact for the scheme, said:
“We’re delighted to be working with David and CiSP to help protect businesses from cybercrime in the North East and together we’re aiming to ensure North East businesses and their data remain as safe and secure.”
Around 80 businesses are already signed up to attend the December CISP briefing and launch of the North East CiSP group. For more information on the event, which is aimed at North East businesses please contact DS Martin Wilson at martin.wilson@durham.pnn.police.uk
