Local Government: Cybersecurity
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the financial cost to local authorities of implementing the recommendations contained within her Department's research on cyber threats.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
DSIT has not made a numerical estimate of the total number of local authorities operating with critical cyber vulnerabilities, as the referenced publication was qualitative research to identify the types of cyber vulnerabilities local authorities face when utilising ‘smart’ technology. Local authorities interviewed and surveyed by our supplier were done under the promise of anonymity.
DSIT does not have and otherwise would not publish the names of local authorities deemed as being at heightened risk, for national security reasons.
The scope of the externally commissioned report entitled “The changing cyber threat profile and potential impact on local authorities” was to identify potential cyber risks emerging from digital projects. No estimate has been made by the department as to the financial costs of the recommendations. The Government Cyber Action Plan sets out what the government is doing to improve cyber security and resilience across government and the public sector.
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