The three constraints on Influence Operations - Digital Threat Digest
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An IT Health Check is an annual assessment required for public sector organisations using the government’s Public Services Network (PSN). It examines all aspects of IT security to ensure that any weaknesses and vulnerabilities are identified and managed, with a focus on security or operational flaws that could potentially result in unauthorised access points to the network and place the integrity of the PSN at risk.
The IT Health Check certification was primarily designed as a method of maintaining high levels of security for businesses tasked with storing, handling, and managing particularly sensitive data relating to public services. These include schools, NHS centres, councils, and other government, education, or healthcare bodies.
The government-mandated IT Health Check involves one of our security experts identifying any technical weaknesses or vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious attackers. We will then provide a report which includes strategies on how to strengthen your defences.
The IT Health Check is tailored to each organisation depending on scope, but a typical assessment looks like:
Easily understand and fix vulnerabilities – Your IT Health Check reports meet the criteria for certification, covering aspects such as type and severity of issues identified, full explanation of vulnerabilities present, and recommendations for effective remedial solutions that can be implemented.
Prove you’re compliant – An IT Health Check provides the opportunity to undertake a tailored risk assessment for total reassurance that your networks are safe, secure, and difficult to infiltrate, so that specialist or sensitive data is protected.
The IT Health Check is a mandatory requirement for any central or local government body or public sector organisation needing to use the PSN. Organisations will only be granted access once they have an IT Health Check certification (renewed annually) by an approved, recognised assessor.
We view your IT setup from an alternative perspective. With years of experience in the field of security and IT management, our team have gained a unique insight into the opportunities that attackers are looking for and which aspects of your system they view as a possible weakness. Beyond compliance, our team of experts offer peace of mind, ensuring that your networks are secure and resilient. Talk to us to get started on your IT Health Check, or for more information.
As I waited for my flight to be rescheduled during last week’s IT outage, I listened to fellow passengers wonder aloud how a company whose name has never hit their radar could have such an impact on such a spectrum of day-to-day matters.
If you don’t know who Nara Smith is, I’m sorry to say you may just be living under a rock. Nara Smith has simply taken over my Instagram and TikTok feed with her ‘what I cooked for my husband today’, ‘what my toddlers ate today’ or my favourite video format, ‘my husband was craving [insert insane request] so I made it from scratch’.
Explaining how digital incidents severely impact the real world can be difficult, but we are increasingly seeing cyber incidents that illustrate how malicious actors can impact our daily lives.