Jisc strengthens cyber services to education sector and local authorities

Jisc underpins cyber security services with certification to NCSC Cyber Incident Response Level 2 

Assured Service Provider status confirms Jisc’s commitment to delivering highest standards of resilience for its members  

Jisc, the UK’s digital, data and technology agency for tertiary education and research, has strengthened its cyber security support for the sector with certification by the NCSC Cyber Incident Response (CIR) Level 2.  

With this new CIR Level 2 status, Jisc is approved by NCSC and CREST as an Assured Service Provider of high-quality cyber security services to institutions of all sizes, as well as the private and public sectors, charities and local authorities. 

As part of their Jisc membership, UK institutions connected to the Janet Network now have added governmental assurance that they will benefit from the highest levels of cyber protection and support. This includes access to Jisc’s world-class cyber security incident response team (CSIRT) as the first line of defence against cyber threats. 

David Batho, director of security at Jisc, says:  

“Following a rigorous assessment process, Jisc’s dedicated CSIRT and protective services teams have gained this prestigious status, and I would encourage our members to take advantage of their expertise – whether that’s for support on any cyber incident or advice on prevention. 

“CIR Level 2 is a significant milestone in our commitment to providing our members with nationally recognised cyber security services. It underlines Jisc’s capability to effectively manage cyber security incidents and demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of cyber security resilience and incident response for our customers.” 

In addition to CSIRT, cyber security services covered by Jisc membership at no additional cost include foundation DDoS mitigation and Janet Network resolver (JNRS), a service that played a major role in protecting institutions from the recent PaperCut cyber-attack which impacted vulnerable print management systems.  

Jisc’s professional services team also provides a cost-effective CREST-approved penetration testing service which helps members identify vulnerabilities, assess risks and take corrective action. CREST membership is an internationally recognised badge of excellence in information security.