NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) Cyber Essentials Guidance Amid Russia Invasion

NCSC Cyber Essentials guidance amid russia invasion National Cyber Security Centre official advice for proactive measures in light of Russia-Ukraine conflict Is your I.T. and cyber security set up able and ready to tackle any cross-fire from the conflict? Prefer reading to listening? You can download the full episode transcript, here:

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What's happening?

In light of the recent cyber-attacks waged against organisations in the UK and Ukraine, NCSC has released fresh guidance on Cyber Essentials.

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme that provides businesses with a set of basic security measures to protect themselves against cyber-attacks.

The scheme is voluntary, but all businesses are encouraged to participate.

The NCSC has warned businesses that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to lead to more cyber-attacks, and that they should prioritise their cyber security protocols above all other I.T. related matters at this time.

They have also released a list of practical things businesses can do to protect themselves.

In this episode of the "Techcess" technology podcast, host (and Managing Director of m3 Networks) Mark Riddell talks us through the updated guidance.

Our hope is you'll find the simplified narration useful, and that you'll understand some of the immediate actions you need to be taking to ensure your business's 'Techcess'.

What's the updated guidance from NCSC?

The NCSC is urging all businesses to prioritise their cyber security protocols above all other I.T. matters for the time being.

So, in line with that, we wanted to offer you a number of practical tips on how to do this.

Check software updates and patches

Among other measures, checking your software patches and updates is vital right now.

Mark says, "It's absolutely critical that web browsers are kept up to date just now as well as everything else. So basically turn on automatic updates everything and update things. Whenever you see a warning that there is a system update available, don't just ignore it and delay it."

As the NCSC has warned, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to lead to more cyber-attacks. And as we all know, one of the best ways to protect yourself from a cyber-attack is by keeping your software patches up to date.

This is because software patches are updates to your software that fix security vulnerabilities and bugs.

Ensure your multi factor authentication is configured correctly

Another important measure is to ensure your multi factor authentication is properly configured.

Multi factor authentication (MFA) is a security process that requires more than one form of identification from the user in order to log in.

For example, you may have to enter your password and then confirm it with a code that is sent to your mobile phone.

MFA adds an extra layer of security, making it more difficult for cyber-attackers to gain access to your systems.

Have you confirmed your running up-to-date antivirus software?

Finally, NCSC also recommends that businesses ensure their antivirus software is current.

Antivirus software helps to protect your computers and devices from malware, which is malicious software that can damage or disable your devices.

It's important to note that there are different types of antivirus software, so you'll need to choose the right one for your business.

The NCSC's 'three random words' advice

NCSC has advised that...