Getronics global director of security and compliance Paul Key warned that the cybersecurity market is well served by a multitude of specialist vendors providing solutions to specific problems, no doubt all of them effective at what they aim to do.

“But, pretty much by definition, these solutions have to be wrapped around systems and infrastructure which is already in place, or applied to protect a particular point of potential weakness. This inevitably leaves the possibility of gaps which may be vulnerable to exploitation, and, once ‘inside’, intruders can find themselves with a surprisingly free rein to do damage. It’s vital to advocate for a better approach, in which security is at the heart of every component of every system. As an ICT integrator, we have enjoyed unique and privileged views of huge infrastructures, so we’ve seen the risks; it’s this insight that has enabled us to design security into absolutely every component of everything we do, providing a higher degree of protection”, he said.

Some sectors and business do security significantly better than others, Key says. “Our warning is for those who aren’t thinking like this yet. And, for anyone focused on GDPR, ensuring that information security is embedded in every component of your ICT infrastructure helps to ensure compliance”, he noted.

The UK Government, GCHQ and the NCSC have all issued separate warnings about cybersecurity in the last eight months alone. Their warnings are particularly directed at organisations responsible for critical infrastructure and/or those that are considered vital to the UK economy.