Cardiff-based managed services provider Socura will manage the CymruSOC programme for an initial three-year contract from offices in Merthyr Tydfil. The company recently relocated its head office to Cardiff from London. The Socura team will monitor potential threats such as phishing and ransomware from its 24/7 SOC.
The scheme is run by the Welsh government and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It will share threat intelligence information with the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It will also work with the Shared Resource Service (a collaboration in South Wales that provides technology services to the public sector), the Welsh Senedd and Digital Health and Care Wales.
The CymruSOC programme is designed to safeguard the data of the Welsh population in general, as well as 60,000 employees across the public sector, at a time when threat actors are increasingly targetting public bodies. It will be available to all public sector organisations in the country, starting with local authorities and fire and rescue services.
The first beneficiaries of will be 18 of the 22 local authorities in Wales. The remaining four authorities are currently using their own SOC service.
First minister, Vaughan Gething said in a statement: “CymruSOC is a first of its kind solution with social partnership at its heart – ensuring we take a ‘defend as one’ approach. It’s a vital part of our Cyber Action Plan for Wales, which – one year since its launch – is making good progress to protect public services and strengthen cyber resilience and preparedness.”
Socura CEO Andy Kays said: “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.”
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