Swansea Council has announced a policy of requiring potential suppliers to prove their cyber security credentials.
In a partnership with the Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales (WCRC), it has begun to ask organisations involved in tenders for ICT, goods, services or works to have the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Essentials certification or at least core membership of WCRC.
It has become the second Welsh local authority to take the approach after Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.
This reflects a trend among public sector organisation to strengthen cyber security along their supply chains by requiring suppliers to supply evidence that they have taken the necessary steps.
Phil Roberts, chief executive of Swansea Council, said: “We are pleased to be working with the Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales to provide help and support to SMEs and micro businesses within our community. We are determined that Swansea businesses have in place simple measures that make themselves more resilient and have the means in which to do so.
“Therefore, we have introduced the need for Cyber Essentials, or at a minimum, membership of the cyber resilience centre into our procurement process for organisations within our supply chain, so they are provided with the right support to improve their cyber security. This in turn allows us to provide services across our communities in the safest way possible.”
Fighting crime
The council is also encouraging organisations and individuals across the city to utilise the WCRC services which helps protect supply chain businesses and third sector organisations in Wales against cyber crime.
Director of the WCRC, Detective Superintendent Paul Peters, added: “Now that Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Swansea Council have both introduced these measures, we hope it’s only a matter of time that others follow, and we look forward to assisting many more businesses across the area in strengthening their cyber security.”
The WCRC is a partnership between the police, private sector and academia set up to help Welsh businesses protect themselves against cyber crime.
Image from iStock, Traitov
