Last line of defence: how to protect government data from cyber attacks
The National Data Strategy identifies data as being the driving force behind the UK’s economy and government.
However, government departments and agencies are facing increased threats to their data as cyber-attacks and other online risks proliferate.
According to government figures, 39% of UK businesses have identified a cyber attack in 2022, and the threats faced by many government and public sector organisations are huge. Cyber attacks can halt the delivery of vital public services and as more organisations embed flexible working practices – meaning more officials work from less secure networks – the scope for attacks on government data is widening.
This is why many organisations are spending large sums on online tools or better training for staff to protect themselves. But despite the investment, damaging cyber-attacks are still happening and this webinar, in partnership with Rubrik, set out how government can focus on the key bottom line of protecting valuable data from attacks.
This webinar shared insights from government and public sector organisations on how they have faced – and survived – cyber-attacks, and their approaches for making sure that the vital national asset of data remains protected at all times.
Join this webinar to find out:
- How to assess the security of your data and prepare for increasing threats.
- The impact cyber-attacks can have if data is not protected.
- How to ensure your department or agency can continue to provide their services in the face of increasing threats.
Panel
Glen Hymers, Head of Data Privacy and Compliance, Data Privacy and Compliance Team, CDIO Directorate, Cabinet Office, United Kingdom
Glen has spent his working life involved in Policing and Security, falling into policing of a fashion, joining the RAF Police in 1998 when he discovered university was expensive. During his time in the RAFP Glen carried out all aspects of policing finally settling into Counter Intelligence, responsible for carrying out Counter Espionage and Counter Terrorism duties for the RAF at home and abroad in some notable locations, some you’d want to go on holiday to but most you wouldn’t. Leaving the RAF as a regular in 2012, as part of the Strategic Defence Review of that year, he began his journey into the private sector. Firstly, at Fujitsu Defence and National Security as their Head of Operational Security & Risk Management, before moving to Sopra Steria as Head of Operational Security for Government accounts. In 2016 he moved to the 3rd Sector taking up the role of Chief Security Officer at The Prince’s Trust as well as being appointed as the DPO in 2017 after opening his big mouth around GDPR, in 2019 he moved to Save The Children International where he took up the role of Global CISO and Head of Data Protection for this prestigious charity. Glen joined the Public Sector in 2021 when he moved to the UK Cabinet Office and is currently the Head of Data Protection and Compliance for that Department.
Phil Huggins, National CISO for Health and Social Care, NHS England, United Kingdom
Phil is a proven security leader currently employed as a Senior Civil Servant with over 25 years of experience in security and technology roles. Phil has designed and operated security for critical national infrastructure and sensitive government. Phil has advised and managed global financial services organisations and advised national regulators on cyber resilience and cybersecurity.
As National CISO for Health and Social Care in the Joint Cyber Unit in NHS England’s Transformation Directorate Phil sets system cyber policy, strategy and architecture for the Health & Social Care system. The Health and Social Care system comprises the NHS, as well as the Department of Health & Social Care and its arms length bodies and more than 20,000 social care providers. He also acts as the NIS regulator for operators of essential services in Health & Social Care. He provides oversight and compliance for the Health & Social Care system and he leads on health cyber funding with Her Majesty’s Treasury, commissions NHS Digital to deliver data security services to the Health & Social Care system as well as funding local cyber projects across the system. Phil also leads on national cyber incidents in healthcare in partnership with NHS Digital.
Michael Mestrovich, Chief Information Security Officer, Rubrik
Michael Mestrovich joins Rubrik with more than two decades of experience in public and private sector IT and security leadership, most recently serving as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). At the CIA, Mestrovich led the Agency’s cyber defence operations, developing and implementing cyber security regulations and standards, and directed the evaluation and engineering of cyber technologies. Before Mestrovich’s career in the public sector, he was a systems engineer at Cisco Systems and served in the U.S. Air Force.
Webinar chair: Siobhan Benita, former UK senior civil servant
Siobhan Benita was a senior civil servant with over 15 years’ Whitehall experience. She worked in many of the major delivery departments, including Transport, Environment, Health and Local Government. She also had senior roles at the heart of Government in the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, including supporting the then Cabinet Secretary, Lord O’Donnell to lead work on Civil Service reform and strategy. Siobhan left the Civil Service to run as an independent candidate in the Mayor of London election. She subsequently joined her alma mater, Warwick University as Chief Strategy Officer of Warwick in London and Co-Director of the Warwick Policy Lab.
