Provide infrastructure and support additional capacity

Monitoring

The Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) continues to respond to cyber threats across the system, and provide threat and vulnerability data through the weekly bulletins to key stakeholders. For example, in response to the threat from Zerologon identified in September, the CSOC issued specific alerts to senior leadership in the NHS and ensured appropriate remediation actions were completed.

Secure boundary rules identified 2.13 million potential threats generating 6,887 alerts and resulting in 164 raised security alerts.

Remediation

We continued to support trusts to identify and remediate risks, particularly those that have emerged, or been exacerbated, as a results of COVID-19.

We delivered technical remediation services to 115 trusts with a particular focus on reviewing use of backup and Active Directory.

Trusts identified as being most critical to the COVID-19 response (such as large intensive care units (ICU’s), Nightingale parent organisation, ambulance trusts) have been prioritised.

Upgrades to offset winter pressures

NHS Digital worked with NHSX on a winter pressures initiative to provide prioritised organisations with financial support to increase network capacity over the winter period.

Available funding was allocated to 27 organisations (24 clinical commissioning groups and 3 trusts) to increase network capacity across 365 priority sites based on evidence of the greatest need.

85% of upgrades are expected to be completed by 31 December 2020 with the remainder expected to be completed by 31 January 2021.

Virtual smartcards

we continued to support deployment of Entrust virtual smartcards for use with key national systems including Lorenzo, e-RS, ESR, SCR and Adastra. For further information please contact [email protected].