BACKGROUND:
It has been reported that one of the UK’s top cyber officials has warned of the growing threat to cross-border telecoms, energy and transport infrastructure in Ireland, as she praised continued close cooperation with the UK on security. Speaking remotely at an Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) event in Dublin, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) CEO, Lindy Cameron, noted that the two countries have “shared cyber interests” and a strong bilateral partnership. This will become increasingly important given the likelihood of escalating cyber-threats impacting both Northern Ireland and its southern neighbor.
<p>Energy, Telecoms and Transport are highlighted as being at risk from increasing cyber-attacks. Combined with the fact that ransomware attacks are growing in both frequency and impact, it is now more important than ever for telecom service providers to have a clear picture and deep knowledge of every interconnection, device and software so they can respond quickly and effectively. We’ve seen regulations in the healthcare market in particular driving service providers to ensure they know about every device on their network. If they don’t, the network is vulnerable to attack and that potentially puts patients at risk. </p>
<p>The new Telecoms Security Requirements (TSR) places clear onus on telecoms operators to increase their security capability. A core part of this is ensuring visibility of every device on the network, the systems being used and the interconnections to other networks. Unfortunately, interconnected telecom networks are vulnerable to the weakest link in the chain, and often there is a complete lack of visibility on how this network is being used. If you don’t have this visibility, your network and business are left exposed to attack. This isn’t just about meeting the new Telecoms Security Requirements (TSR), it’s best practice.</p>