UK Government to help Lawyers and Accountants protect against Cyber Attack

Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey has announced a new free online training course to help members of the legal and accountancy professions develop the skills they need to protect themselves and their clients from cyber-attacks.

 

Developed by government and industry, the on-line training will also enable lawyers and accountants to advise their clients on the cyber risks to their business. This will help UK businesses protect themselves from information breaches and other threats that could potentially cost them millions of pounds.

 

The course will increase awareness of common cyber risks and threats they may experience in the workplace and how to prevent and deal with them. It provides advice on how to safeguard digital information, raise awareness of cyber issues amongst clients and gives examples of how to deal with issues such as information breaches in the workplace.

 

Minister for the Digital Economy Ed Vaizey said:

 

Members of the legal and accountancy professions deal with sensitive client information on a daily basis and can be a target for cyber-attacks.

 

The new course we are launching today makes cyber security part of the day job for lawyers and accountants. It provides members of both professions with tailored and relevant guidance on how they can better protect themselves and their clients from cyber threats. It’s essential government and industry work together to protect UK companies from online attacks that can cause millions of pounds worth of damage.

 

Law Society deputy vice-president Robert Bourns said:

 

Cyber crime has the potential to compromise both clients’ and solicitors’ sensitive data. Training to raise awareness and understanding for all involved in practice is an important part of protection. That is why we are supporting our members by providing this bespoke training package, developed in partnership with the Government and other professional bodies.

 

As well as undertaking this essential training, I urge solicitors to take part in the Cyber Security Information Sharing Partnership, which shares cyber threat and vulnerability information in a secure online environment.

 

Martyn Jones, Immediate Past President of ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales), said:

 

ICAEW is committed to helping companies develop robust cyber security processes and has been working with and supporting government initiatives in this area for the last two years. Cyber security threats are a tremendous potential risk to business, in particular small and medium sized companies.

 

Much of the risk centres on behaviour and ensuring employees do the right thing. The training launched today will help accountants become more knowledgeable and confident to support their clients in reducing risks and increasing their cyber hygiene.

 

The new online course is funded by the government’s 5-year, £860 million National Cyber Security Programme to make the UK one of the safest places in the world to do business online. The programme aims to improve cyber security skills at all levels and work with associated professions to make industry more resilient to cyber-attack.

 

It also complements other e-learning initiatives being launched by government to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. This includes the Responsible for Information course, available online from today, by The National Archives. It provides guidance to small companies on how they can better protect their data and get to grips with the risks associated with information security.

 

To access the  training please visit the Law Society Website by clicking the logo below: