A new report from GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reveals that British businesses and citizens reported a record-breaking 7.1 million suspicious emails and websites in 2022, equivalent to one every five seconds.
This resulted in the direct removal of nearly a quarter of a million malicious URLs from the internet since April 2020. The report highlights the success of the NCSC’s Active Cyber Defence (ACD) program, which takes a “whole-of-society” approach to cybercrime and prevents high-volume cyber attacks from reaching UK organizations and citizens.
The report also indicates a growing interest in cyber security among businesses, with a 39% increase in sign-ups for ACD’s free services. Recognizing the unique vulnerabilities faced by small businesses, which constitute 99% of the UK’s business ecosystem, the NCSC launched accessible ACD services to empower non-technical users and boost their cyber resilience.
These services include Email Security Check, which scans email domains to identify potential vulnerabilities, and Check Your Cyber Security, a scalable vulnerability check tool designed specifically for small organizations.
Phishing scams remain the most prevalent attack hosted in the UK, but the report highlights a decline in global phishing campaigns hosted in the country. Opportunistic attacks on the HMG brand decreased by 17%, while the crisis in Ukraine served as a consistent pretext for cryptocurrency scams throughout 2022.
ACD’s Protective Domain Name Service (PDNS) blocked 11 billion DNS queries for 420,000 domains, providing safeguards against accessing malicious sites containing malware and phishing attacks.
The NCSC’s report emphasizes the importance of collective efforts in combatting cyber threats and the need for businesses, especially small firms, to prioritize cyber resilience.
By actively reporting suspicious activities and utilizing the accessible tools and expertise provided by the NCSC, organizations and individuals can contribute to a safer digital environment and protect national prosperity. The full report, including key highlights and trends, is available on the NCSC website.
