Scottish Government to fund cyber security training for 250 organisations

The Scottish Government has announced plans to fund cyber security training for 250 organisations.

The £500,000 investment will allow the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) to hold workshops for public and third sector organisations, as well as those in the housing and social care fields.

Some 450 organisations have already received the training, which looks to strengthen defences to cyber crimes including ransomware attacks.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “We have all seen the devastating impact of an organisation falling victim to a cyber-related incident, so extending training to make more people aware of the risks is absolutely crucial.

“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring Scotland leads the way in cyber resilience and security.”

He added that the workshops should help organisations “stave off the threat of an attack”.

While Jude McCorry, the chief executive of the SBRC, said that as many as two thirds of public sector bodies have been targeted by cyber attacks, adding: “We don’t want to see more Scottish organisations fall victim to these attacks and that is why upskilling and awareness programmes continue to be so vital.”

In March, Donald McGillivray, the Scottish Government’s director of safer communities, told the Public Audit Committee of the increased chance of cyber attacks linked to the war in Ukraine.

In recent years, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) and the mental health charity SAMH have been subject to ransomware attacks.