Good morning,
I want to thank you all for being here today…
…as we officially launch the National Cyber Security Centre’s Annual Review.
You’re going to hear many remarkable statistics today…
… and perhaps some facts that may shock you.
So, let me begin with the first shocking, irrefutable fact I was, once, a very young man! When I was a boy, the floppy disc was a state-of-the-art memory card…
…Pong became the first ever video game…
…Bell Laboratories unveiled its newest invention a handled scientific calculator – which, honestly, never made it onto my Christmas list!
If you dropped your mobile phone, you worried about breaking the floor, not your screen!
…and cutting-edge cyber security meant writing your password on a sticky note and hiding it under your keyboard!
Anyway, I make these points not to betray my age…
…but to demonstrate the non-stop sprint of progress that digital technology has taken during our lifetime.
Today, digital technology encompasses every single part of our lives.
And while that brings us many advantages, it also creates many problems.
If we’re not careful, we can become complacent.
The technology and services that we take for granted every day can be used against us. It is vital for us all to keep pace with technological advancements…
…and ensure we’re using technology responsibly.
We’re going to go into some of the Review’s findings in a moment…
…but if you take away one thing from this morning, let it be this
Cyber crime is one of the greatest threats to our economy,
to our businesses, to the livelihoods of our workers…
…and while the Government is providing more cyber security support, we cannot do it alone. We need businesses to lead the way, by making cyber security a top priority.
And we need citizens to step up and take personal responsibility for their cyber safety.
Only then – through that joint-responsibility – can we overcome the threats outlined in this new report.
Last year’s review detailed how the National Cyber Security Centre handled 89 cases of the most serious cyber incidents…
…incidents where our essential services were disrupted or our national security was compromised…
…incidents which – in the most extreme cases – could have led to major economic consequences or loss of life.
In the last year, those kinds of incidents have more than doubled – there were over 200 of them. Today, any syndicate of cowards hiding behind keyboards can have a devastating impact. These people have no qualms ruining people’s lives…
…there is no code of conduct that they share…
…they are just as happy hacking the NHS and nurseries as they are multi-billion-pound companies… …as long as it serves their interests…
…and as long as they get paid.
This is a very real threat that businesses must take seriously.
We have seen – especially over the last couple of months – just how devastating these attacks can be.
Marks & Spencer, The Co-Op and – of course – Jaguar Landrover…
…just some of the high street names which have been targeted by cyber attacks already this year. Behind each of those names are hundreds of employees…
…thousands more in their supply chain…
…and millions of customers that rely on those goods and services.
It is vital that we take the risk of these cyber attacks seriously.
That’s why we are doing more than ever before to help those affected by cybercrime. Today’s Review sets out in detail how the Government…
…through the National Cyber Security Centre…
…is supporting our society and business leaders to be prepared for any future cyber attacks. The new tools we have created will help every kind of business…
…from the SME with a handful of employees, to larger corporations with hundreds of staff.
Our ‘Cyber Action Toolkit’ that we are launching today is designed to empower sole traders and small businesses …
…to take their first steps toward cyber protection.
Our ‘Cyber Essentials’ certification proves your organisation is protected against common cyber threats…
…which also provides you with automatic cyber liability insurance…
…for any UK organisation who certifies their whole organisation and has less than £20m annual turnover.
Over 13,000 organisations are part of the free ‘Early Warning’ service…
…giving them exclusive access to information on potential cyber-attacks.
And the NCSC’s ‘Takedown Service’ has seen over 1.2 million phishing campaigns removed from the internet…
…with half taken down within an hour of being detected.
Richard will go more in depth into this work in a moment…
…but these are important steps forward…
…and I am very grateful to NCSC and GCHQ for all their work on this.
As the people who drive our economy, it is vital that we support our businesses in any way we can. We are creating a strong partnership on cyber security.
We have shown – through our work on Jaguar Landrover and much more – that we take this support very seriously.
But, I am clear that businesses cannot be protected by government alone.
For that partnership to work, there needs to be a shared priority.
Today, a letter has been sent to all the CEOs of the FTSE 350…
…signed by the Chancellor, the Business Secretary, the Tech Secretary, the heads of NCSC and the NCA – and myself …
…that implores those business leaders to recognise the threat that is facing them.
For too long, cyber security has been a concern of the middle management… …and only gets escalated to the seniors in a crisis.
It’s not a case of if you will be the victim of a cyber attack…
…it’s about being prepared for when it does happen.
When the NHS health supplier Synnovis was attacked in 2024 there were major consequences. Eleven-thousand appointments and procedures were postponed…
…and they lost an estimated £32m, compared to a reported profit of over £4.3m the previous year. Such an attack can seriously harm a business overnight…
…and, even if they survive it, the scars of brand damage are long-lasting.
Jobs could be put at risk, entire industries become vulnerable, the wider economy suffers. Ask any CFO, and they will tell you which carries the bigger cost…
…having a thorough cybersecurity plan, or not.
The Government stands ready to help you…
…but we can only be part of the answer.
I would encourage businesses to see this as a great opportunity.
By investing in cyber security, you could build a reputation for being safe and secure. You could create a competitive advantage…
…while also investing in your stability and your future growth…
…something which customers and investors would equally benefit from.
Ladies and gentlemen, the technological revolutions of my childhood are museum pieces compared to today’s innovations.
But what’s important today is that we understand tomorrow’s technological threats to keep ourselves safe.
Ahead of us is a threat landscape which is more complex and more intense than ever before. We all need to be ready to meet that challenge.
Today’s Review shows that the Government is doing more to make our society cyber secure… …together we must empower our citizens to make smart choices about their cyber behaviour… …and we need businesses to recognise the challenge that faces them too.
I know that, through our combined efforts, we can make our economy more resilient… …and ensure that our world-leading businesses – and the people who work for them – remain safe. Thank you very much.