Digital experts at Cumbria Police have reached out to offer advice to hundreds of schools, businesses and charities to warn them about cyber crime during a week-long campaign.
Officers and staff from the county’s Cyber and Digital Crime Unit have offered their services to advise on cyber crime in general – but with a particular focus on ransomware.
This is because of a national campaign which has been held this week to highlight the threat from this type of offending, which remains one of the biggest threats to businesses and organisations.
How does it work?
A ransomware attack happens when cyber criminals find a vulnerability in a company’s computer network to gain access, then establish control and plant malware – short for malicious software.
The malware planted is designed to prevent a person or business from accessing a device and the data stored on it.
Once the malware is activated, it locks devices and access to data across the company’s network.
The cyber criminals behind the attack will then demand a ransom via an onscreen notification in exchange to decrypt the files or data held.
The work this week
One of the key ways to stop these offences is education and prevention. So the force has issued social media this week alerting people to the risks and pointing them towards national advice.
Police in Cumbria have also contacted businesses, schools and charities across the county, with the hospitality sector to be contacted in the coming weeks.
Detective Constable Lee Fearn identifies criminals and investigates cyber crime – but he also works to protect the public and organisations and prevent offences happening in the first place.
He said: “The team wants to help businesses, schools, charities and members of the public across Cumbria strengthen their cyber resilience and respond effectively to emerging threats.
“Incidents of cyber crime continue to rise nationally and high-profile cases have shown the impact on businesses and other organisations.
“Ransomware attacks can cause serious disruption — locking systems, halting operations and risking sensitive data.
“However, there are practical steps every organisation can take to reduce risk and recover quickly if an incident occurs.
“Ourselves at Cumbria Police and our partner agencies can offer short cyber awareness training sessions for staff, guidance on reporting incidents and accessing support, lessons to school pupils and practical guidance and training for parents and teachers.
“None of this is to replace service providers. We just want to supplement what they do and help make Cumbria safer for everyone.”
If you would like to discuss how police can support your organisation, please contact the Cumbria Police Cyber and Digital Crime Unit at: cyber@cumbria.police.uk
What to do if you’re under a ransomware attack
- If you are a small or medium sized enterprise currently experiencing a ransomware attack, you should report it immediately by calling Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Report Fraud has a 24/7 phone line dedicated for businesses, charities or organisations who are under a cyber attack.
- Do not pay the ransom. The National Cyber Security Centre and UK law enforcement do not encourage, endorse or condone the payment of ransom demands. There is no guarantee that access can be regained to data held and devices could still be infected.
Take the right steps to ensure your organisation is protected against ransomware by looking at the advice and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre: ncsc.gov.uk/ransomware.