01.05.18
LGA to receive £1.5m in funding from Whitehall to tackle cyber criminals
The Cabinet Office has granted £1.5m in funds to the Local Governments Association that will be used to carry out a “stocktake” of cyber security arrangements in all councils across England.
Cyber-crime is seen by many as a ‘growing threat’ to the security of confidential data and information for the public, businesses and government sectors across the U.K.
Local government and councils are investing in a range of measures to repel, block and isolate cyber-attacks, such as implementing firewalls and scanning software, carrying out cyber resilience exercises and training their workforce.
And, with an increasing amount of business being done online and local councils holding large amounts of data about their residents, the funding - which is targeted for the 2018/19 period - will reinforce efforts and share learning between councils in preventing cyber-crime and data breaches in their local authority.
There will be an opportunity to bid for further funding in the autumn.
Chairman of the LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board, Cllr Paul Bettison, said: “Councils take cyber security extremely seriously, but as we have seen through recent attacks, there is a constant need to review and bolster cyber security defences where appropriate.
“Councils hold significant amounts of sensitive data which is why it is hugely important that we have the necessary protections in place.
“This funding will be used by the LGA to help councils share best practice and strengthen their ability to mitigate against cyber threats.”
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