Irish: an Lárionad Náisiúnta Cibearshlándála | |
State Agency of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications overview | |
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Formed | 2011 as CSIRT-IE 2013 as NCSC 2015 officially |
Jurisdiction | Ireland |
Headquarters | 29-31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2, D02 X285 |
Minister responsible | |
State Agency of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications executive |
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Website | ncsc.gov.ie |
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a government computer security organisation in Ireland, an operational arm of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The NCSC was developed in 2013 and formally established by the Irish government in July 2015. It is responsible for Ireland's cyber security, with a primary focus on securing government networks, protecting critical national infrastructure, and assisting businesses and citizens in protecting their own systems. [2] The NCSC incorporates the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE).
The NCSC is headquartered at 29/31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2. [3]
The mandate for the NCSC includes;
Threats identified to Ireland's critical infrastructure and government networks include: lone individuals, activist groups, criminal groups, terrorist groups, and nation states seeking to gather intelligence or to damage or degrade infrastructure. Incidents arising through extreme weather, human error and hardware or software failure also pose significant risks to individuals, businesses and public administration. [2] [4]
Work relating to the National Cyber Security Centre, and any records associated with the security of ICT systems in the state and outside it, are exempt from being disclosed under freedom of information (FOI). [5]
Richard Browne was appointed as the NCSC's director in January 2022, having served as acting director for the previous 18 months. [1]
The Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE) was established in late 2011 (prior to the official formation of the NCSC) within the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and includes secondees from other government agencies. [6] The main role of CSIRT-IE is to provide a 24/7 expert emergency response to computer security incidents across all public sector bodies, as well as to provide advice to reduce threat exposure. CSIRT-IE engages in emergency planning with government agencies overseen by the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) within the Department of Defence and the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, chaired by the Minister for Defence. CSIRT-IE shares information with the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA). [7]
Outlining the future core aspects of the work of the NCSC, the government's National Cyber Security Strategy 2015-2017 states that the NCSC is to seek formal international accreditation for a Government CSIRT (g/CSIRT), expected in 2016, and accreditation will be sought for a formal National CSIRT (n/CSIRT), while also developing a capacity in the area of Industrial Control Systems and SCADA, which are used to run vital state networks such as electricity, water and telecommunications. [8] [9]
There is a strong culture of cooperation between the National Cyber Security Centre and the Irish Defence Forces in areas regarding technical skill sets, technical information sharing and exercise participation. Arrangements are due to be formalised by means of a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Defence, including a mechanism for the immediate sharing of technical expertise and information in the event of a major national cyber incident or emergency. The branch of the Irish military with responsibility for cyber defence is the Communications and Information Services Corps (CIS). [10]
The Garda Síochána, the national police service, is involved with the NCSC in a preventative and investigative capacity, with regard to national security and computer crime. Its liaison relationships with international security services are particularly helpful to the NCSC in identifying emerging threats and vulnerabilities, and establishing best practice preventative measures. There is to be a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Justice on this matter, and upcoming cyber legislation will support the work of the National Cyber Security Centre. [2]
There is also a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for Cybersecurity & Cybercrime Investigation (CCI) at University College Dublin, Europe's leading centre for research and education in cybersecurity, cybercrime and digital forensics. [11] [12]
In 2024 the NCSC took part in Locked Shields jointly with a team from South Korea, run by Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. [13] [14] The Irish team played the part of a cybersecurity team for the fictional state of Berylia, which was attacked by hackers from the fictional state of Crimsonia. [13] [14] Ireland joined CCDCOE in 2023 and took part for the first time in Locked Shields in 2024. [13] [14] Richard Browne said of the simulated attack "It’s like the 2021 incident but with very sophisticated actors at the other end, not just petty criminals like the HSE attack". [14]
Computer security, cybersecurity, digital security or information technology security is the protection of computer systems and networks from attacks by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, theft of, or damage to hardware, software, or data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.
Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of criminal activities that are carried out using digital devices and/or networks. These crimes involve the use of technology to commit fraud, identity theft, data breaches, computer viruses, scams, and expanded upon in other malicious acts. Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks to gain unauthorized access, steal sensitive information, disrupt services, and cause financial or reputational harm to individuals, organizations, and governments.
The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) is an organization within the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Specifically, US-CERT is a branch of the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications' (CS&C) National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC).
The National Cyber Security Division (NCSD) is a division of the Office of Cyber Security & Communications, within the United States Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Formed from the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, the National Infrastructure Protection Center, the Federal Computer Incident Response Center, and the National Communications System, NCSD opened on June 6, 2003. The NCSD mission is to collaborate with the private sector, government, military, and intelligence stakeholders to conduct risk assessments and mitigate vulnerabilities and threats to information technology assets and activities affecting the operation of the civilian government and private sector critical cyber infrastructures. NCSD also provides cyber threat and vulnerability analysis, early warning, and incident response assistance for public and private sector constituents. NCSD carries out the majority of DHS’ responsibilities under the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative. The FY 2011 budget request for NCSD is $378.744 million and includes 342 federal positions. The current director of the NCSD is John Streufert, former chief information security officer (CISO) for the United States Department of State, who assumed the position in January 2012.
A computer emergency response team (CERT) is an expert group that handles computer security incidents. Alternative names for such groups include cyber emergency response team, computer emergency readiness team, and computer security incident response team (CSIRT). A more modern representation of the CSIRT acronym is Cyber Security Incident Response Team.
A cybersecurity regulation comprises directives that safeguard information technology and computer systems with the purpose of forcing companies and organizations to protect their systems and information from cyberattacks like viruses, worms, Trojan horses, phishing, denial of service (DOS) attacks, unauthorized access and control system attacks. While cybersecurity regulations aim to minimize cyber risks and enhance protection, the uncertainty arising from frequent changes or new regulations can significantly impact organizational response strategies.
The Communications and Information Services Corps (CIS) – formerly the Army Corps of Signals – is one of the combat support corps of the Irish Defence Forces, the military of Ireland. It is responsible for the installation, maintenance and operation of communications and information systems for the command, control and administration of the Defence Forces, and the facilitation of accurate, real-time sharing of intelligence between the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps branches at home and overseas.
There is no commonly agreed single definition of “cybercrime”. It refers to illegal internet-mediated activities that often take place in global electronic networks. Cybercrime is "international" or "transnational" – there are ‘no cyber-borders between countries'. International cybercrimes often challenge the effectiveness of domestic and international law, and law enforcement. Because existing laws in many countries are not tailored to deal with cybercrime, criminals increasingly conduct crimes on the Internet in order to take advantages of the less severe punishments or difficulties of being traced.
Irish security forces refer to the various security forces of Ireland. Among other roles, they carry out efforts to undermine the ongoing dissident Irish republican campaign since the Troubles. They consist of the following organisations;
A cyberattack is any offensive maneuver that targets computer information systems, computer networks, infrastructures, personal computer devices, or smartphones. An attacker is a person or process that attempts to access data, functions, or other restricted areas of the system without authorization, potentially with malicious intent. Depending on the context, cyberattacks can be part of cyber warfare or cyberterrorism. A cyberattack can be employed by sovereign states, individuals, groups, societies or organizations and it may originate from an anonymous source. A product that facilitates a cyberattack is sometimes called a cyber weapon. Cyberattacks have increased over the last few years. A well-known example of a cyberattack is a distributed denial of service attack.
The United Kingdom has a diverse cyber security community, interconnected in a complex network.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India. It is the nodal agency to deal with cyber security incidents. It strengthens security-related defence of the Indian Internet domain.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau – informally known as the Fraud Squad – is a specialised division of Ireland's national police force, the Garda Síochána, that investigates economic crimes. The Bureau operates as part of the Garda Special Crime Operations branch and works alongside other sections of the force, as well as the external Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE), an agency tasked with investigating white-collar crime. The Economic Crime Bureau is responsible for the investigation of serious financial fraud and corruption. It was established in April 1996 and is based at Harcourt Square, Dublin 2. The GNECB is headed by an officer of Detective Chief Superintendent rank, who reports to the Assistant Commissioner of Special Crime Operations.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is an organisation of the United Kingdom Government that provides advice and support for the public and private sector in how to avoid computer security threats. It is the UK's National technical authority for cyber threats and Information Assurance Based in London, it became operational in October 2016, and its parent organisation is GCHQ.
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The University College Dublin Centre for Cybersecurity & Cybercrime Investigation is a centre for research and education in cybersecurity, cybercrime and digital forensic science in Dublin, Ireland.
National Cyber Security Centre, National Cyber Security Center, or National Cybersecurity Center may refer to:
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