Resources

Keeping your business and your home cyber secure is a growing problem. Here are some useful links to get you started:

UK Government Resources

National Cyber Security Strategy 2016-2021 document
Cyber Aware initiative (formally Cyber Streetwise)
National Cyber Security Centre
Defence Cyber Protection Partnership (DCPP)

Cyber Essentials

Two of our Core Members are official Accreditation Bodies for the UK's Cyber Essentials certification scheme:

Book Reviews

We have a growing list of book reviews below. If you are a publisher with a new cyber security book and would like it reviewed here, please let us know.

The Weakest Link

Jeremy Swinfen Green & Paul Dorey

Bloomsbury, ISBN 978-1-4729-3625-7, Published 2016

This book focuses on the human factor of cyber security; that of protecting an organisation from its own employees. The text begins by looking at the some of the issues of cyber security that a business or other organisation may face before highlighting the nature of human resources. This includes issues around training, education, ethos and culture. The authors also discuss what makes people trust others, question things that may seem unusual, or simply follow the herd. These considerations have a real impact on keeping an IT system secure. The book makes use of plenty of real life examples to illustrate points and has lots of references to interesting statistics or studies that support the arguments being made. This book would suit business owners and managers who want to better understand the threats from cyber space, but also want to put in place effective processes and training programmes to improve their organisation. Many of the points raised are as equally improtant to a small SME as they are to a large multinational company.

Flashboys

Michael Lewis

Penguin, ISBN 978-0-141-98103-1, Published 2015

If you want a really readable and exciting insight into the role of computer networks and cyber esponiage in today's global economy, this is the book for you. The narrative is fast-paced and tells the extraordinary story of how the US financial markets were being played by using computer systems to leverage inside knowledge. The speed of light is fast, but by carefully placing servers next door to trading floors, brokers and their software programs could get trading information a split second before their competitors located elsewhere on the planet enabling them to make vast amounts of money often at a customer's expense. Now also a film called The Big Short.

We Are Anonymous

Parmy Olson

William Heinemann ISBN 978-0-434-002208-3, First published 2012

A fascinating insight into the secretive world of hackers and how they organise themselves. The book focuses on activity in cyberspace from 2011 to 2013, including the attacks, the investigations, the race to make arrests, and the trials that ultimately occured. Through investigative journalism and firsthand interviews, the book shows how individual hackers became involved and tried to hide their tracks as they mounted ever more sophisticated attacks on government organisations and their employees. Although the Darkweb has moved on much since this account was written, this book is still a must-read for those working in or intrigued by cyber security and the underworld of hacking.

Ghost in the wires

Kevin Mitnick with William L. Simon

Back Bay Books, ISBN 978-0-316-21218-2, Published 2012

The fascinating first-hand story of Kevin Mitnick's brush with the law as he hacked landlines, mobile phones and computer systems around the US. His obsession was borne of personal challenge, and one in which he used self-taught social engineering skills to obtain system information and admin privileges in a variety of state and corporate systems. The story is fast-paced and engaging, providing a frightening insight into how human beings are often the weakest link in security.

Cyber Security Books

UK Cyber Security Forum CIC, Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Malvern WR13 6PL, UK