Recent research carried out by Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation has highlighted the NHS’s ongoing vulnerability to cyberattacks. The study called for urgent steps to be taken in order to defend threats which could risk the safety of patients in the UK.
While the report, presented to the House of Lords, commended current measures across the health service, it stated that more investment was urgently required.
Cyber Security Connect UK, a leading conference and industry forum for CISOs, has recognised the areas highlighted as priorities included employing cybersecurity professionals in IT teams, building ‘fire-breaks’ into systems to allow certain segments to become isolated if infected with a computer virus and having clear communication systems so staff know where to get help and advice on cybersecurity.
Cyber Security Connect UK Conference Chair and Chairman and Founder of the SASIG, Martin Smith, said: “The recommendations highlighted in Imperial College London’s white paper are very welcome. As they show, cybersecurity is about more than just prevention, what’s absolutely critical is cyber-resilience and this is very much multi-faceted. The threat from cyberattacks is fluid and fast-paced.
“It’s therefore almost impossible to know what threat to best plan for and in many instances it’s a case of when might an attack occur rather than if. For healthcare providers, cyber-resilience, meaning both systems and data can be recovered even when an event occurs, is paramount.”
The concept of cyber-resilience as a model for moving forward will be discussed in more detail by Smith and other industry leaders at Cyber Security Connect UK (CSCUK) which takes place from November 13 to 15 and will be held in Monaco.
More than 300 top-level cybersecurity professionals are expected to attend the second edition of CSCUK. It is organised by the same team that produces the market-leading Les Assises de la Sécurité conference and offers a unique opportunity for delegates who participate in an insightful programme, with expert roundtables and partner workshops.
Delegates wishing to attend Cyber Security Connect UK should register their interest by visiting: https://www.cybersecurityconnectuk.com/
