Cardiff-based Socura will manage the SOC.
A security operations centre designed to offer security advice and defence against cyber-attacks in Wales has opened today.
Led by the Welsh Government in collaboration with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, CymruSOC will be managed by Cardiff-based Socura who are tasked with safeguarding the data of the majority of the Welsh population, as well as 60,000 employees across the public sector.
The CymruSOC program is scheduled to run for a three year period, 18 of Wales’ 22 local authorities are currently signed up to use the centre’s services. Also in conjunction with the National Cyber Security Centre, CymruSOC will also share threat intelligence information to ensure they are aware of emerging risks.
Wales’ First Minister, Vaughan Gething called CymruSOC “a first of its kind solution with social partnership at its heart” and said it is a vital part of the Welsh Parliament’s Cyber Action Plan.
Geraint Thomas, councillor and leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, said: “The close collaboration between our Council and Welsh Government has been a key factor in the success of this project. I’m really pleased that as the contracting authority, we continue to lead this work on behalf of the CymruSOC member bodies, and other Welsh Public Sector bodies that wish to utilise the CymruSOC going forward.”
Andy Kays, CEO of Socura, said: “The CymruSOC is a fantastic initiative, and we feel honoured to play a role in keeping Wales secure.
“By sharing a SOC, and threat intel, across all Welsh local authorities, even the smallest Welsh town will now have the expertise and defences of a large modern enterprise organisation.”
Written by
Dan Raywood
Senior Editor
SC Media UK
Dan Raywood is a B2B journalist with more than 20 years of experience, including covering cybersecurity for the past 16 years. He has extensively covered topics from Advanced Persistent Threats and nation-state hackers to major data breaches and regulatory changes.
He has spoken at events including 44CON, Infosecurity Europe, RANT Conference, BSides Scotland, Steelcon and ESET Security Days.
Outside work, Dan enjoys supporting Tottenham Hotspur, managing mischievous cats, and sampling craft beers.
