UK announces plan to strengthen public sector cyber defenses

The UK government unveiled a £210 million Government Cyber Action Plan to bolster public-sector cybersecurity, creating a Government Cyber Unit, setting minimum security standards, enhancing risk visibility, and mandating robust incident response across departments, supported by a Software Security Ambassador Scheme with industry partners like Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Sage, NCC Group, and Santander. Complementary measures include the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, plans to prohibit ransom payments by public-sector and critical infrastructure entities, and a partnership with mobile carriers to prevent phone-number spoofing, all motivated by recent disruptions to MoD payroll and NHS services.