NCSC publishes cybersecurity guidance for agricultural sector

December 23, 2020

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – the UK Government’s national, technical authority for cybersecurity – has recently published guidance to support the agriculture and farming sectors against the increasing threat of cybercrime.

Working alongside the National Farmers Union (NFU), the NCSC guide provides practical cybersecurity tips and advice to help agricultural businesses prepare for threats and securely operate online accounting tools, online payment systems and automated farming equipment.

NCSC agricultural and farming guidance

Opening with introductions from Sarah Lyons, NCSC Deputy Director for Economy & Society Engagement, and Stuart Roberts, Deputy President of the NFU, the guide outlines the importance of cybersecurity to agriculture and farming and how these sectors have implemented internet-connected technologies.

The guide then highlights the importance of keeping devices ‘up to date’, advising that devices should be set to update software automatically; it also explains how old devices are the most vulnerable to virus and malware attacks, particularly those which no longer receive automatic updates.

In addition to this, the guide covers ways to backup data, keep devices safe, lock stolen devices (and recover/erase data from them), protect against malware, select and manage secure passwords, manage your online presence and also learn to spot suspicious and scam emails/alerts.

To find out more information about the NCSC’s cybersecurity guidance for the agriculture and farming sectors, visit: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance

Read Next

Security Journal UK

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Apply
£99.99 for each year
No payment items has been selected yet