CYBERUK19: NCSC and ICO Clarify Roles to Assist Incident Response

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and regulator the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have agreed to clarify their roles and improve coordination, in a move designed to make it easier for breached organizations to reach out to the right body. At the CYBERUK conference in Glasgow yesterday, the two set out their distinct roles and responsibilities. GCHQ body the NCSC is tasked with dealing with incidents of “national importance” and is on hand to help victim organizations in the immediate aftermath of an attack to better understand the incident. Although it will encourage organizations to meet their requirements under the GDPR and NIS Directive, its free advice will be given confidentially, with no information shared with GDPR regulator the ICO without seeking consent first. The ICO will then be on hand to help organizations take the right steps to mitigate any risks to individuals’ data, and ensure a proper investigation is set up and that legal responsibilities are met.