A national incident response ‘cadre’ comprising a collective of trusted professionals are helping organisations respond to and recover from cyber incidents in Scotland.
The team of experts has been brought together by Cyber and Fraud – Scotland, to assist small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) facing the threat of rising levels of cybercrime.
According to new research, small businesses across Glasgow, Edinburgh and wider Scottish areas are losing £386 million a year to cyber hackers because they don’t have proper security measures in place.
The study by Vodafone Business showed that cyberattacks against SMEs have surged in recent years, with research with two-fifths (40%) victims of one in 2024 alone.
The cadre will work in close collaboration with the National Incident Response Helpline, triaging incoming calls and providing rapid, expert-led support to organisations experiencing cyber-attacks such as data breaches or ransomware incidents.
Jude McCorry, CEO at the Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland, said: “We want every organisation to know that they’re not alone when facing a cyberattack, our cadre brings together trusted counsel from across disciplines to provide hands-on and timely support.
“Today, company heads can no longer think that it won’t ever happen to them, hackers work across the internet 24/7 to find chinks in the armor of unsuspecting organisations – and if big companies can be targeted so too can anyone.
“And whether technical containment is needed, legal advice or help communicating with stakeholders, this team is here to help recover and rebuild.”
Members of the cadre offer expertise across technical incident response support, legal guidance and corporate communications, ensuring that organisations receive comprehensive, practical help in their time of need.
Current members are, Accenture, Secureworks, Aspire Technology Solutions, Consider IT, KubeNet, Network ROI, TechForce Cyber, CyberCX, Anderson Strathern, Brodies, Burness Paull, Morton Fraser MacRoberts, and Clark Communications.
Julie Inglis, director at KubeNet, said: “We see first-hand the rising threat of cybercrime facing the business community. Joining the Incident Response Cadre was a natural step for us and it’s an opportunity to partner and collaborate with others in the industry, share our expertise and make a real difference.
“Strengthening Scotland’s cyber resilience is essential to protecting our economy, communities and fellow citizens. The cadre is an essential pillar in creating awareness and delivering solutions for business that will help protect them from increasing threats. We look forward to working alongside and being part of the team of cyber professionals.”
The cadre will help companies of all sizes and sectors, from charities and SMEs to public bodies and large conglomerates, navigating the often scary, chaotic and high-stake moments following a cyberattack.
It also contributes to threat scoping, intelligence sharing, and regularly participates in Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland events to share trends, insights and practical advice, to prevent the attacks from happening in the first place.
Most recently, members of the Cadre spoke at a Cyber Nyte on 26th June, where they explored real-world cases of social engineering attacks and how organisations can better protect themselves.
The Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland, the nation’s only cyber security social enterprise, encourages any organisation facing a cyber threat to call the National Incident Response Helpline on 0800 1670 623 for immediate triage and connection to the right support.
