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FOI request (FOIR-134854764)
National Cyber Security Centre
Requested Fri 02 August 2019
Responded Tue 10 September 2019I am writing with a request about cyber security under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
CHECK is the umbrella term for the National Cyber Security Centre approved penetration test companies and the method in which they conduct a penetration test.
Could you please tell me whether you have had a CHECK test in i) 2016/17, ii) 2017/18 and iii) 2018/19?
Could you also tell me what cyber security do you have aside from CHECK work including the following i) user education ii) other penetration tests iii) internal security team iv) other.
Response
Notice of Refusal Disclosure of information relating to ICT security constitutes a security risk as it would leave the Council's computer assets more vulnerable to a malicious hacking attack.
This means that disclosure would:
• Make the Council more vulnerable to crime (Section 31)
• Risk harming the systems on which the day-to-day business of the Council relies (Section 43) Section 31 (Law Enforcement)
Section 31(1)(a) states that information is exempt if its disclosure is likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. ICO guidance states that this can be used to protect information on a public authority's systems which would make it more vulnerable to crime.
This exemption can be used by a public authority that has no law enforcement function:
• To protect the work of one that does
• To withhold information that would make anyone, including the public authority itself, more vulnerable to crime
The crime in question would be a malicious attack on the Council's computer systems.
Since the disclosure of the withheld information would make the Council's systems more vulnerable to such crime, the exemption is engaged.
The exemption is subject to the public interest test.
There is an overwhelming public interest in keeping the Council's computer systems secure which would be served by non-disclosure.
This outweighs the public interest in accountability and transparency that would be served by disclosure.
Section 43 (Commercial Interests) Section 43(2) states that information is exempt if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).
Disclosure of information relating to ICT security puts the council at risk of a malicious hacking attack. This would compromise the Council's ability to provide its services and carry out 'business-as-usual' should our systems be compromised. Were our systems to be compromise, the cost of a system recovery would be detrimental to the Council's commercial interests.
The exemption is subject to the public interest test.
There is an overwhelming public interest in keeping the Council's computer systems secure which would be served by non-disclosure.
This outweighs the public interest in accountability and transparency that would be served by disclosure.
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