Increased risk of cyber attacks: DTS Director

Message from DTS Director Stuart Brown on increased risk of cyber-attacks to UK institutions

You may already be aware of the increased risk of cyber-attacks following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Jisc have also notified us that “education and research are likely targets, alongside other sectors, and reporting indicates that the chances of Russian state-sponsored action, including via social engineering, have increased significantly”.

My Digital Technology Services (DTS) colleagues and I are working hard to ensure that we have the fundamental protections recommended by the NCSC. However, we need your support in ensuring our systems continue to remain secure and operational. 

What can you do to help reduce the risk?

1) Make sure your devices (desktops, laptops, phones etc) have latest software and security updates.
2) Make sure your anti-virus software is working and is up to date.
3) Be really careful when clicking on attachments and links in emails. More information on our Phishing webpage - https://www.reading.ac.uk/digital-technology-services/cyber-security/phishing 

These are all simple and effective steps that all of us can take. For a cyber-criminal, the easiest way to distribute malware is via an infected link or attachment sent to you and we are expecting a rise in these “phishing” emails to hit the UK over the coming weeks/months. Ransomware is a lucrative business and when sanctions start to bite, it is possible that state-backed cyber criminals will look to increase such activity to bridge some of the financial gap. 

Thank you for your help in keeping our services and data safe. By doing the 3 simple steps above, you can help minimise the threat.