In today’s digital environment, cyber attacks have become an increasingly common threat. Organisations are at risk of falling victim to data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other security breaches. The risk is even greater for nonprofits, which are often more vulnerable and have limited resources to invest in cybersecurity measures. This is where the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) can help! The NCSC provides advice and guidance on all things cyber security for nonprofits across the country.
According to cybersecurity company, Fortiner, since 2001, the cyber attack victim count has increased from 6 victims per hour to 97? A 1517% increase over 20 years!
Let’s explore in more detail what the NCSC does, and how it can benefit nonprofits and their cybersecurity posture.
What is the National Cyber Security Centre?
The National Cyber Security Centre is a UK government organisation that launched in 2016. They offer cyber security advice and support to SME’s, charities, larger organisations, individuals and the public sector across the country.
The NCSC’s objectives are illustrated by their slogan, ‘helping to make the UK the safest place to live and work online’. To this end, they offer a range of services and resources to help organisations improve their cybersecurity posture. This includes tailored advice, training, incident response support and threat intelligence analysis.
NCSC also works in conjunction with the government as part of the Government Communications Headquarters. It acts as the lead on cyber security for all government departments. This includes The Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. In effect, this means that the Charity Commission cyber security policies and information would be informed by the NCSC. Crucially, The NCSC is additionally responsible for helping to manage cyber security incidents on a major scale and inform the UK policy to warn the public of said attacks.
Nonprofits can access the NCSC’s services to get valuable insights into the latest threats and vulnerabilities. In addition, they can also get guidance on the best cybersecurity practices to implement. This can help them protect their data and systems from attacks, safeguard their operations, and maintain their reputation.
How the NCSC works to protect your digital safety
NCSC has the tools to recommend what’s needed to protect your charity’s cyber security landscape. The National Cyber Security Centre is a great resource for your charity to learn about cyber security. Here are some of the ways in which NCSC works to protect charity’s digital safety:
- Downloadable Guidance about Cyber Crime Prevention
- Online Cyber Security Checkers
- Reporting Scams
Downloadable Guidance about Cyber Crime Prevention
The National Cyber Security Centre offers free downloadable pdfs such as their Small Charity Guide. This teaches your staff how to avoid falling victim to cyber attacks as well as receiving advice on backing up sensitive data. Charities that are currently not using Cloud backup software, will highly benefit from this.
Online Cyber Security Checkers
Cyber Security Checkers are something which The National Cyber Security provides for nonprofit organisations. They use intelligence tools to identify your charity’s IT environment and see whether it is vulnerable to potential cyber-attacks. The process includes checking IP addresses and seeing whether your nonprofit website needs updating. This is crucial for charities because your website should be updated regularly to avoid common types of scam attacks.
Reporting Scams
Finally, the National Cyber Security Centre doesn’t just deal with prevention advice. It also signposts your charity to report scam websites, emails and adverts. In addition, it offers guidance on what crucial things to do if you are the victim of a scam. This is really useful for charity organisations as it will help highlight any potential cyber dangers. It also encourages fraud awareness within organisations.
Cyber security training and education offered by the NCSC
Furthermore, The NCSC offers cyber security training for charities and education for those charity organisations signed up. Here are the main education and upskilling services available for your charity.
Schools
The NCSC provides a cyber security training package to aid your school’s cyber resilience. They’re also promoting CyberFirst, an initiative to develop the UK’s next generation of cyber professionals through student bursaries. There is also early years practitioner’s guidance. This is to protect sensitive and personal data held on children and their families within the school vicinity.
Higher Education
The National Cyber Security Centre also offers more advanced training for those looking to study cyber security in-depth. They offer undergraduate, graduate and apprenticeship schemes to help educate those interested or who need to know more about the cyber threats in today’s world.
Final Thoughts on The National Cyber Security Centre
In conclusion, the National Cyber Security Centre plays an important role in helping charities protect their digital assets from cyber threats. Considering the importance of digital data and assets for charities, the NCSC’s services can help prevent significant financial and reputational damage resulting from a successful cyber attack. By working with the NCSC, charities and other nonprofit organisations can access targeted cybersecurity advice and guidance, receive alerts and updates about emerging threats, and leverage the expertise of a dedicated team of cybersecurity professionals.
In short, the NCSC is a valuable resource for any charity that wants to proactively protect its digital assets and ensure that its operations and beneficiaries are not disrupted by cyber attacks. By taking steps to secure their personal data, digital environments and partnering with the NCSC, charities can continue to focus on their important mission, while mitigating the risks associated with the increasing cyber threat landscape.
Does your charity want to find out how to improve your current cybersecurity landscape? Book your FREE Cyber Security Consultation below with our IT experts.
