As part of ongoing work to boost cyber resilience in food retail
amidst the rapidly evolving cyber-landscape, senior leaders from
food retail met the Chief Executive of the National Cyber
Security Centre (NCSC) on Wednesday.
The meeting was part of ongoing engagement between the retail
industry and cyber security agencies. As the industry becomes
increasingly digitised and automated, retailers face a higher
risk from cyber-attacks, which have become increasingly
sophisticated.
Strong cyber defences are particularly critical for food
retailers to ensure the nation's food security. Retailers remain
well-armed for potential attacks, spending hundreds of millions
of pounds every year to mitigate risk and be prepared if they are
attacked. They continually review and update their cutting-edge
protections and remain in close contact with cyber agencies to
share intelligence.
The NCSC has tools and resources available to support all
business. The Governance Code of Practice
sets out the most critical governance actions for directors, and
more and more businesses are adopting the Government-backed
certification scheme, Cyber Essentials. The BRC
also convenes a series of ongoing engagement between retailers
and the NCSC.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC,
said:
“Cyber attacks are a very real risk for all
businesses, especially in an industry as digitally connected as
retail. No business can be 100% safe and I would encourage every
retailer to promote Cyber Essentials within their supply chains
and revisit their own protections and plans. Wednesday's meeting
was another opportunity for food retailers to reaffirm their
commitment to working together to counter the risks an attack
could pose, and are ensuring they are on the front-foot. They are
in regular contact with cyber agencies, sharing intelligence, and
invest huge sums every year on both protections and
preparedness.”
Richard Horne, Chief Executive of the National Cyber
Security Centre, said:
“In the modern world, cyber
resilience is business resilience, and so I was pleased to
welcome senior leaders from UK food retailers into NCSC
headquarters on Wednesday to discuss how the sector can
effectively manage the online threats they face.
“In a sector with many digital dependencies across complex supply
chains and large estates, leaders being proactive in
understanding cyber risk, sharing best practices and taking
action to raise defences is exactly what is required to stay
secure.
“We look forward to working further with the sector to support
their efforts and encourage continued uptake of our free advice
and guidance, including our cyber governance resources, to
protect themselves online.”
