This week’s threat landscape highlights a continued shift away from traditional malware-centric attacks towards the exploitation of trusted identities, legitimate business processes and increasingly autonomous digital systems.
News
Supplier Assurance: Assessing and Managing the Risks Presented by Your Organisation’s Suppliers
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, outlines the integral role that supply chains now play in almost every organisation’s operations – and why that can generate risks that need to be managed with care through rigorous supplier assurance. Most organisations...
OT Cyber Security: Preparing for Increased Regulatory Scrutiny in UK CNI
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, explains why cyber security in operational technology environments has become a more prominent area of discussion at board level – driven by changing UK policy and the proliferation of disruptive breaches in Critical...
Chris Hanwell Joins Arcanum’s Sales Team
Chris joined Arcanum as Defence & Critical National Infrastructure Cyber Sales Lead, bringing more than 18 years of experience in sales leadership, business growth, operational management and cyber security consultancy. Throughout his career, Chris has held senior...
Arcanum Appointed to BlueLight Commercial Cyber Security Services Framework
We are delighted to announce that Arcanum has been selected as a preferred supplier on the BlueLight Commercial Cyber Security Services Framework, strengthening our position in supporting police forces and fire and rescue services across the UK with independent Cyber...
PCI DSS 4.0.1: What’s Changed, Why It Matters and What Your Organisation Needs to Know About Achieving Compliance with the Latest Version of the Standard
Published in June 2024, PCI DSS 4.0.1 is a limited revision that clarifies requirements and introduces minor updates to the standard without introducing new mandates. In this article, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant and PCI Qualified Security Assessor, Claire...
When “It’s Just a Data Breach” Becomes a NIS Problem: What Operators of Essential Services Should Learn from South Staffordshire Water
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, outlines how the recent data breach suffered by South Staffordshire Water can be assessed through a compliance and regulatory lens – and what other organisations working in Critical National Infrastructure should take...
Arcanum welcomes Gary Tettersell to the team
Gary joined the team following an 18-year career in the British Army, where he served as a Warrant Officer Class 2, Yeoman of Signals (Electronic Warfare) within the Royal Corps of Signals. During his service, he specialised in Electronic Warfare, Signals...
OT cyber resilience: “availability” is the constraint, not the objective
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, identifies why organisations are often looking in the wrong direction when it comes to improving Operational Technology security and how they can start addressing the right challenges. OT security conversations often...
Job Vacancy: Arcanum Cyber Sales Lead – CNI & Regulated Industries
As we continue to expand our delivery capabilities, we are now seeking a driven Sales Executive to strengthen our sales team. In this role, you will support the profitable growth of our Cyber Security Advisory, Penetration Testing, GRC services. You will have a...
Arcanum welcomes Neal Cowdrey to the team
Neal joins Arcanum after working as a Lead Security Engineer for a major Defence programme, having previously served for 23 years in the British Army. He previously held CLAS and Senior CESG Certified Professional and now holds certifications in CISSP, ISO27001 Lead...
CAF and GovAssure: the fastest way to fail is to confuse “evidence” with “confidence”
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, outlines the value of evidence over intention when it comes to creating trust within government and CNI-adjacent ecosystems. CAF and GovAssure are forcing an uncomfortable (but necessary) discipline into cyber...
Arcanum welcomes Justin Dymond to the team
Justin has joined Arcanum as Chief Consultant and brings a broad portfolio of experience to the team as a cyber leader and established consultant. Underpinned by his knowledge of the profession, an engineering background and 25 years in Defence and National Security,...
From “Data Breach” to NIS Enforcement: A CAF-Led Guide for Energy Operators of Essential Services
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, explains how cyber incidents in the energy sector have implications beyond the initial compromise and quickly become a compliance issue. “Under NIS, the question is not whether you had an incident. The question is...
The Cyber Security & Resilience Bill: Why “compliance” is about to become a board-level resilience problem
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, outlines why the UK's new Cyber Security & Resilience Bill is more than a hoop for IT teams to jump through, and how the Arcanum team can support senior leaders to get a handle on incoming regulations. The UK’s Cyber...
Common DCC Challenges: Why Organisations Struggle At Assessment Time
Having covered what assessors are looking for, it is worth being direct about where organisations most commonly fall short. The challenges we see are rarely about capability. In most cases, organisations have the controls in place. What lets them down is preparation,...
What Defence Cyber Certification Assessors Actually Look For
Chartered Cyber Security Professional and NCSC Head Consultant, Sam Stait, dives into what we've learnt about the Defence Cyber Certification as we approach the scheme's one year anniversary. One of the most common issues we see with organisations preparing for DCC...
AI, Mythos, and the Real Cyber Arms Race
Arcanum Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie, discusses growing concerns surrounding the capabilities of Claude’s Mythos AI model in the hands of threat actors. A wave of headlines over the past week has focused on Anthropic’s new Claude Mythos AI, almost all of...
Arcanum strengthens ties with the Welsh defence supply chain
Arcanum attends the inaugural Wales Defence and Security Cluster (WDSC) meeting at the Welsh Government office in Cardiff. In March, Arcanum’s Cullum Morgan Welch was invited to attend the first meeting of the Wales Defence and Security Cluster (WDSC) in the Welsh...
Danzell Updates: What the New Cyber Essentials Question Set Means for Organisations
Danzell updates: Cyber Essentials self-assessment question updates coming this April From 27 April 2026, organisations seeking Cyber Essentials certification will be assessed against a new Danzell self-assessment question set, following additional changes approved by...
Arcanum welcomes Matthew to the team
Matthew joined Arcanum following two decades of service in the British Army’s Royal Corps of Signals, delivering resilient and secure communications from tactical through to enterprise levels. He brings extensive experience in security operations and incident...
Takeaways from the M&S Cyber Attack: What can we learn from this incident?
The evidence given by senior Marks & Spencer leaders to the Parliamentary SubCommittee on UK Economic Security is one of the most detailed and candid public accounts of a major cyberattack on a British retail institution. Their testimony reveals stark lessons...
Cyber Risk Is Not a Technical Problem – It’s a Storytelling Failure
There are dozens of threads stating authoritatively that you’ve got to be technical to be in cyber. And there are lots of technical people who are really, really, good. But I’ve sat in too many meetings where cyber risks described by a very technically competent...
Professionalising Cyber Security in the UK: Regulation, Accreditation and the Future of the Industry
What would happen if cyber security services in the UK required legal accreditation? A deep dive into regulation, skills, standards, and professionalising cyber security in the UK.
Arcanum Cyber Security Review 2025
Just before our team closed their laptops and headed off for the Christmas break, we invited some of our senior team to reflect on the cyber landscape as part of a virtual round table event.Jane Chappell, Chris Flynn, Sam Stait and Jonny Keiller took some time to...
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – “Smarter, Faster, Deadlier” – Charles Dickens’ Take on the AI-Driven Threats Reshaping UK Cyber Security
In the final installment of our series of Festive Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – Missing from the Table: Bah Humbug in the Boardroom
In the sixth of a series of Festive Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – Great Expectations, Grim Realities: Outsourcing to your MSP
In the fourth of a series of Festive Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – Ghosts in the machine: Shadow IT
In the fourth of a series of Festive Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – Fagin’s Digital Pickpockets – The Art of Phishing & Social Engineering
In the third of a series of Festive Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – Don’t Wait for the Ghost of Breaches Past – Incident Response Readiness
In the second of a series of Festive Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Arcanum’s Festive Stories – A Dickensian Tale of Cyber Peril in the Age of Legacy
In the first of a series of Christmas Stories, Chief Consultant Lawrie Abercrombie takes us through a journey of cyber security discovery through the lens of Charles Dickens.
Planning the move to DCC for defence contractors
DCC – What do defence suppliers need to know?
Navigating Defence Procurement Cyber Security Compliance
Quick Summary: The UK’s Defence Cyber Certification (DCC) and the US’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) set the cyber security standards for defence procurement. Both aim to protect sensitive defence data, but differ in scope, assessment, and cost....
5 Myths About Cyber Essentials – And Why They’re Holding You Back
Cyber Essentials is the UK Government’s baseline cyber security certification - designed to help organisations protect themselves from the majority of common cyber threats. Yet despite its clear benefits, we regularly hear the same misconceptions from businesses of...
Navigating the cyber seas
Navigating the Cyber Seas – Arcanum’s Insights from LISW 2025 London International Shipping Week 2025 (LISW) brought together maritime leaders, regulators, and cyber security experts to address the evolving digital threats facing the global shipping industry. Neil...
COMAH Sites: Cyber Security and Compliance Challenges
For business leaders with responsibility for COMAH, cyber security is fast becoming a top priority. Arcanum provides practical help with cyber security for COMAH site operators.
Defence Cyber Certification (DCC): 5-Step Supplier Guide
Understand the UK MOD’s Defence Cyber Certification (DCC). Follow our 5-step journey to achieve compliance, win contracts, and build cyber resilience.
What’s New? Significant Changes from NCSC CAF 3.2 to CAF 4.0
Discover the key updates in CAF 4.0, the latest Cyber Assessment Framework from the NCSC, released on 6 August 2025. Learn how CAF 4.0 changes impact cyber security standards compared to version 3.2.
Arcanum deliver first DCC certification
Arcanum deliver first DCC certification
Arcanum welcomes Jon to the team
Arcanum welcomes Jon to the team
Armed Forces Day 2025
On Armed Forces Day 2025, we asked Matthew Pemble about his experience in the Armed Forces both as a Regular and a serving Reservist.
Navigating the MOD Defence Cyber Certification Scheme: What Suppliers Need to Know
Navigating the MOD Defence Cyber Certification (DCC) Scheme: What Suppliers Need to Know
Arcanum achieves NCSC Assured status for Security Architecture
Arcanum achieves NCSC Assured status for Security Architecture
Arcanum welcomes Neil to the team
Arcanum welcomes Neil to the team.
Certified ISA/IEC 62443 Experts
After passing all four ISA/IEC 62443 exams, Jonny Keiller and Jack Fairley, Arcanum Cyber Consultants are now certified ISA/IEC 62443 Experts!
Cyber Security in the Commercial Space Sector: Part 3 – Compliance, Training & Emerging Technology
This is part 3 of 3 blogs, written by Sam Stait, Senior Cyber Consultant. Introduction: Why Compliance Matters in Space Cybersecurity In the previous post, "Strengthening the Link: Securing the Supply Chain and responding to incidents", we looked at how securing the...
Cyber Security in the Commercial Space Sector: Part 2 – Strengthening Supply Chains & Responding to Threats
This is part 2 of 3 blogs, written by Sam Stait, Senior Cyber Consultant. In the previous blog, "Cyber Security in the Commercial Space Sector: Part 1 – Governance & Threat Landscape", we looked at how implementing effective cyber security governance, adopting...
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill
The UK government has unveiled the scope and ambition of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, further emphasising that bolstering the UK’s online defences is central to the government’s Plan for Change.
2025 Megabuyte Award Winner!
We are thrilled to announce that Arcanum has been recognised as the best performing company in the IT consulting category within the prestigious 2025 Megabuyte Emerging Stars cohort!
Arcanum welcomes Bradley to the team
Arcanum welcomes Bradley, a cyber security consultant, to the team.
Cyber Security in the Commercial Space Sector: Part 1 – Governance & Threat Landscape
This is part 1 of 3 blogs, written by Sam Stait, Senior Cyber Consultant. “Satellites are increasingly relied upon for nation critical services and the importance of managing cybersecurity risk has never been higher” As a cyber security consultancy in the global space...
Arcanum welcomes Arran to the team
Arcanum welcomes Arran, a cyber security consultant, to the team.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David’s Day!
Arcanum is proud to be the only NCSC Assured Cyber Security Consultancy in Wales, and the fastest-growing public sector cyber security consultancy in Wales. As we celebrate St David’s Day, we also celebrate the strong cyber community within Wales, brought together by...
Arcanum welcomes Sinclair to the team
Arcanum welcomes Sinclair, a cyber security consultant, to the team.
Tech200: Highest Ranked Cyber Security Consultancy
We are proud to be recognised as the highest ranked cyber security consultancy on the prestigious Tussell Tech200 list. This ranking highlights Arcanum as one of the fastest-growing UK public sector technology suppliers, reinforcing our reputation as a leader in the...
Introduction to AI Security
Navigating the Risks and Opportunities of AI Security, what does AI Security mean and what Can Be Done?
2024 in review
A few highlights from 2024.
Arcanum recognised as a service provider for the NCSC Cyber Resilience Audit scheme
Arcanum are proud to announce that we are one of the first assured service providers for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Cyber Resilience Audit (CRA) scheme. This means that we have met the rigorous standards of the CRA scheme, which is overseen by the NCSC....
What is automotive cyber security?
In this article, we will explore automotive cyber security.
What is CHECK & CREST Pen Testing?
In this article, we explore CHECK & CREST pen testing.
What is vishing?
During Cyber Security Awareness month, we will be exploring some cyber related terms you may have heard of but may not fully understand. We hope to raise awareness and ultimately work to improve UK cyber security resilience. In this article, we will explore vishing.
Matthew Pemble awarded Chartered status
Join us in congratulating Matthew Pemble, Lead Security ARchitect, who has been awarded Chartered status for Secure System Architecture & Design by the UK Cyber Security Council.
What is the NCSC, UKCSC & CIISec?
What is the NCSC, UKCSC and CIISec? In this article, we will explore professional bodies and organisations working to keep the UK safe.
UK Data Centres Now Classified as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) – What It Means for Cyber Security
The UK Government has officially classed data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). What are the implications, and what experience does Arcanum have in securing CNI?
Why hire a cyber security consultancy? Cyber Assessment Framework
In the 16+ years Arcanum has been operating, we have done all sorts of cyber security jobs for all sorts of clients. Some have been large organisations, some small. Some have been in the Public Sector, some in the Private Sector. Some have been very profitable...
Wendy Goucher awarded Chartered status
Join us in congratulating Wendy Goucher, Cyber Consultant, who has been awarded Chartered status for Risk Management by the UK Cyber Security Council.
Why hire a cyber security consultancy? Employee training
In this post, cyber consultant Wendy Goucher outlines the importance of employee training.
Why hire a cyber security consultancy? Expertise and specialisation
Learn about the specialist expertise required to secure operational technology.
Why hire a cyber security consultancy? Incident response planning
In the 16+ years Arcanum has been operating, we have done all sorts of cyber security jobs for all sorts of clients. Some have been large organisations, some small. Some have been in the Public Sector, some in the Private Sector. Some have been very profitable...
Tamar Everson awarded Chartered status
We are happy to announce that Tamar Everson, Senior Penetration Tester, has been awarded Chartered status for Security Testing by the UK Cyber Security Council. Chartered Cyber Security Professionals have significant practical knowledge in multiple specialisms, and...
Reserves Day 2024
As an Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award holder, Arcanum have demonstrated outstanding support for those who serve and have served. A large proportion of our company have served in the Armed Forces or are still serving as part of the UK Reserves. On Reserves...
Arcanum achieves CHECK accreditation
We are proud to announce that we can now offer CHECK accredited testing to our clients. This means that we have met the rigorous standards of the CHECK Scheme, which is overseen by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and provides assurance for high-risk...
Lawrie Abercrombie joins CIISec board
We are happy to announce that our co-founder Lawrie Abercrombie is now on the board of directors for the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec). A few words from Lawrie: "CIISec provides a universally accepted focal point for the cyber and information...
NIS2 looms on the horizon. Who’s Ready?
The second iteration of the Network and Information Systems Directive, NIS2, is looming on the horizon. What is it, and how can Arcanum help you prepare?
British Library cyber attack – lessons learned
What can we learn from the British Library cyber attack?
Arcanum achieves NCSC approval for Audit and Review
We are proud to announce that we have been accredited by the NCSC to deliver Assured Cyber Security Consultancy (ACSC) Audit and Review services. This means that we can provide guidance and advice to be able to influence Senior Information Risk Owners or business...
Effective Preparation and Appropriate Response to Cyber Security Incidents: An Analysis of CAF Objective D
This blog piece is the fifth part of our five-part series discussing the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC’s) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). Part 1: NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework Part 2: Services, Tools, and Resources to Help Your Organisation Understand...
International Women’s Day 2024
For International Women’s Day 2024, we focus on Jane Chappell, co-founder of Arcanum Cyber Security. Since 2008, Jane has jointly led the company, working to protect people, businesses and information. Jane was the first woman to command a cyber unit in the British...
Arcanum conference Malaga 2024
Arcanum have recently returned from our annual company conference, where we were joined by our colleagues from SRM.
Fortifying Your Digital Defences: A Deep Dive into CAF Objective B
This blog piece is the fourth part of our five-part series discussing the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC’s) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). Part 1: NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework Part 2: Services, Tools, and Resources to Help Your Organisation Understand...
CAF Objective A: The Strong Foundation of Security Risk Management
This blog piece is the third part of our five-part series discussing the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC’s) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). Part 1: NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework Part 2: Services, Tools, and Resources to Help Your Organisation Understand...
Secure by Design: Revolutionising Cyber Security in the MoD
Blog by Arcanum Defence Relationship Manager, Vicky Carter. In an age where cyber threats are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, it is imperative that organisations and government entities adapt their cyber security practices to stay ahead of the...
Services, Tools, and Resources to Help Your Organisation Understand and Achieve Compliance to the NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework: Objective C
The festive season presents a unique set of challenges for organisations in terms of cyber security, and threat actors will seek to exploit the seasonal wind-down followed by periods of minimal staffing, that come at this time of year. That is why we at Arcanum, along...
NCSC’s Cyber Assessment Framework
Blog written by Sam Taylor, Cyber Security Consultant at Arcanum. This blog piece is the first part of our five-part series delving into the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC’s) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). In this introductory piece, we will demystify the...
Arcanum sponsoring and exhibiting at the Aerospace Wales Expo 2023
Arcanum will be exhibiting at the Aerospace Wales Expo on December 7th at Coleg Cambria, Deeside. We are also thrilled to be one of this year's sponsors for the Expo! Arcanum helps organisations working in Aerospace, Critical National Infrastructure and Defence...
Physical Security considerations in Industrial Environments
Introduction In the world of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) or Operational Technology (OT), a lot of consideration is given to implementing the best technological controls available to mitigate cybersecurity risks, but in many organisations recognising and...
NCSC Annual Review warns of threat to UK’s critical infrastructure
The National Cyber Security Centre's (NCSC) Annual Review offers a compelling narrative on the evolving landscape of cybersecurity. One critical aspect that took centre stage was the escalating importance of industrial cybersecurity. In an era dominated by...
Cyber Attack on DP World Australia
Recent reporting has provided insight into the notable attack against Australia’s biggest ports operator ‘DP World Australia’. DP World Australia detected an unauthorised breach of its network on Friday 10th November 2023, and subsequently disconnected its networks...
Challenges faced when securing OT/ICS
Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Overview The first Distributed Control Systems used in industry were created around the 1970s. These systems had very limited connectivity, and there was clear segregation between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology...
Arcanum Sweeps the UK Cyber Security Council Awards: Celebrating 11 Professional Titles
Eleven Cyber Consultants from leading UK Cyber Security Consultancy Arcanum have been awarded prestigious professional registration titles by the UK Cyber Security Council. The titles were officially awarded on Thursday, 5th of October at the Council’s awards ceremony...
Reflecting on our week at DSEI 2023
Last week, the Arcanum team spent a great 4 days exhibiting at DSEI 2023 with Aerospace Wales. With DSEI attracting experts and delegations from 50+ countries, it was great to promote our NCSC Assured Cyber Consultancy and CREST Approved penetration testing services...
The benefits of working with a CREST accredited Company
Tamar Everson, Senior Pen Tester at Arcanum explains why regular penetration testing by a CREST accredited company is an essential part of any robust cybersecurity strategy. According to the UK Government’s 2023 Cyber Security Breaches Survey, 59% of medium businesses...
Arcanum attend “Adoption of Industrial Digital Technology in UK Manufacturing” workshop
The Arcanum Operational Technology (OT) Team recently attended the “Adoption of Industrial Digital Technology (IDT) in UK Manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)” workshop at Leeds University. Key insights were that while many manufacturing SMEs wanted to...
Arcanum will be speaking at Comsatcoms 2023
Tomorrow afternoon, Sam Stait, Senior Cyber Consultant at Arcanum, will be talking at Comsatcoms. ComSatcoms is a 2-day Commercial Satellite Conference hosted by IET at Savoy Place, London. The conference will focus on new projects, technological advancements, and...
Arcanum celebrates Reserves Day 2023
Today is Reserves Day, an opportunity for the UK to celebrate and salute our Reserve Forces. Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces, balancing their civilian life with a military career to ensure that should their country require them, they...
Arcanum at Space Comm Expo 2023
Last week, Arcanum exhibited at Space Comm Expo, the UK’s largest Space event. The Arcanum team had a really enjoyable couple of days alongside Space Wales, showcasing our Cyber Security services in the Space Sector. It was a great opportunity for our Consultancy and...
Arcanum will be exhibiting at Space Comm Expo 2023
If you’ve got yourself a Space Comm Expo ticket at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, June 7th-8th, head over to the Space Wales stand for a chat with our team about Arcanum’s Cyber Security and Pen Testing services for the Space sector....
Arcanum exhibiting at Cyber Security Expo 2023
Arcanum are exhibiting at the Cyber Security Expo at Aerospace Bristol on the 20th of April. If you’re looking for a career in cyber security, our team will be on hand to talk about our core services and job roles at Arcanum Cyber Security. You’ll find us on stand C4!...
Arcanum Cyber Security listed on E2E Female 100
We’re thrilled to share the news that Arcanum Cyber Security has been named one of the Top 100 fastest-growing female-led companies by E2E! Arcanum was co-founded by Jane Chappell and Lawrie Abercrombie in 2008, who both play a leading role in the company as...
Digital Forensics Case Study: CCTV Analysis – Private Investigation
Digital Forensics and CCTV Evidence Case Study CCTV systems play a vital role in capturing criminal activities. Evidence obtained from a CCTV footage can provide crucial details of the crime. Our digital forensics practitioners are experienced in the recovery of...
Arab International Cybersecurity Conference 2022
Last week Arcanum exhibited at the 3-day Arab International Cybersecurity Conference in Bahrain. As a certified NCSC consultancy, it was a great event for us to exhibit our Cyber Security services to new contacts. Attending the event was Arcanum Co-Owner and Technical...
Lawrie joins panel discussion at Arab International Cybersecurity Conference
Today, Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum Co-founder and Technical Director, is part of the panel discussing ‘Securing the future of sustainable energy networks’ as part of the Cyber Leaders Forum at the Arab International Cybersecurity Conference in Bahrain. As economies...
Arcanum will be exhibiting at the Arab International Cybersecurity Summit
Next week, December 6-8th, Arcanum will be exhibiting at the Arab International Cybersecurity Summit in Bahrain. Co-hosted by Bahrain’s National Cyber Security Centre and held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince,...
Arcanum Social Event 2022
As a remote working company, we like to get all our employees together a couple of times a year to connect with new faces and catch up with old colleagues from across the UK. This month we invited all employees and their partners for a night away at The Charlecote...
Tamar Everson talks all things Cyber Essentials at Midlands CiiSec event
This week Tamar Everson, Arcanum Senior Penetration Tester and Lead Cyber Essentials Assessor spoke at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and Midlands Chartered Institute of Information Security's (CiiSec) Cyber Essentials event. The event was hosted at Nottingham...
Cyber Attack on US Airports
Cyber attacks have caused websites at over a dozen US airports to temporarily go offline, with Russian speaking hackers claiming responsibility. These include airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. On Monday morning, LaGuardia airport in New York was...
Kat Abercrombie appointed as UK Cyber Security Council Trustee
We’d like to congratulate Kat Abercrombie, Arcanum Senior Penetration Tester, who began her role as a UK Cyber Security Council (UKCSC) Trustee this week. The UK Cyber Security Council is the self-regulatory body and voice for UK cyber security education, training and...
Chris Flynn receives MSc in Cyber Security
Congratulations to Chris Flynn, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant, on completing his MSc in Cyber Security at Glasgow Caledonian University with a Distinction. Glasgow Caledonian University’s Masters course is certified by the National Cyber security Centre (NCSC) and...
Arcanum attend CiiSec Live in Edinburgh
An excellent day at CIISec Live at Edinburgh Napier University yesterday. A day of great speakers and insightful discussions, and an opportunity for our team to catch-up with peers and CIISec contacts. Attending the event were Arcanum Co-Owners Jane...
Arcanum will be exhibiting at Space Comm Expo next week
If you’ve got yourself a Space Comm Expo ticket on September 7th-8th at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, head over to the Space Wales stand for a chat with our team about Arcanum’s Cyber Security and Pen Testing services for the Space...
Arcanum Information Security acquires Security Risk Management Ltd
Arcanum Information Security are delighted to announce that they have acquired a controlling interest in Security Risk Management Ltd. (SRM). SRM’s expertise and experience across a range of cyber security disciplines make them a natural fit within the Arcanum family....
Webinar for Trading Standards: Handling Encryption & Cloud Data – 7th Sept, 5th Oct & 2nd Nov
Arcanum Digital Forensics Practitioners will delve into what to do when encountering encrypted devices and cloud storage. After the quick 'sell-out' of last years series of Trading Standards workshops, Arcanum Digital Forensics have organised a new session which will...
Patch now! Cisco release a security advisory about vulnerabilities in their routers
“Cisco has released a security advisory about several vulnerabilities in the Cisco Small Business RV series routers, covering the RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345.” Patch now! Cisco VPN routers are vulnerable to remote control – Pieter Arntz, Malware Bytes...
CREST announce new specification document for Penetration Testing
CREST has announced the release of its CREST Defensible Penetration Test, a specification that provides recommendations on how penetration tests should be scoped, delivered and signed off. With significant growth in the numbers of penetration tests being carried out...
Arcanum at Unlock Cyber Taster Day – June 2022
Arcanum Senior Penetration Testers, Tamar Everson and Kat Abercrombie are in UWE Bristol today for the Unlock Cyber Taster Day, where over 190 students are attending. The Unlock Cyber Taster Day is an opportunity for students aged 12 – 14 across the West of England to...
Arcanum celebrate Reserves Day
Yesterday was Reserves Day, an opportunity for the UK to celebrate and salute our Reserve Forces. Arcanum benefits hugely from employing serving Reservists and Veterans and on many occasions Arcanum employees cross paths in the course of their military duties. Above...
Arcanum approved by the Civil Aviation Authority to join the CAA ASSURE scheme
Arcanum Cyber Security have been accredited as a supplier on the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) ASSURE scheme. The ASSURE Scheme provides aviation organisations with a level of assurance in their choice of audit supplier and a structure for how audits should be...
Arcanum Training & Development Week
Arcanum commit to investing in employees by offering training and development programs throughout their career. This week, new Arcanum team members from all areas of the business gathered at the beautiful Severn Manor in Dunley for staff training. The Cyber Risk...
Arcanum Co-founder, Lawrie Abercrombie features in CiiSec newsletter
This week, Arcanum's Co-founder Lawrie Abercrombie, features in CiiSec's members newsletter highlighting individuals who had recently become Fellows members of CiiSec. CIISec is the only pure play information and cyber security institution to have been granted Royal...
IT vs OT Webinar – May 31st 2022
Arcanum are hosting a free webinar on May 31st to discuss cyber security in Operational Technology (OT), and its difference compared to Information Technology (IT). Secure your space on this free webinar by registering via Eventbrite: Information Technology (IT) vs...
CYBERUK 2022
Excellent couple of days the ICC Wales for CYBERUK22. As a certified NCSC consultancy, it was a great event for us to exhibit our services on the Arcanum stand and meet new and existing contacts. It was also an opportunity for our NCSC Certified Head Consultants and...
What Cyber Essentials is and why it’s important
What is Cyber Essentials? It is a UK Government-backed scheme aimed at increasing the cyber security level of UK businesses. It was launched in 2014 and is operated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in combination with its Cyber Essentials partner IASME....
Steve achieves the ISA 99/IEC 62443 Cyber Security Specialist Certification
Steve Rees, Arcanum Cyber Consultant, is now a certified ISA 99/IEC 62443 Cyber Security Specialist. This is a baseline qualification for cyber security professionals covering how the IEC 62443 standard can be implemented to protect Industrial Automation and Control...
Arcanum recognised as a Member of the UK Cyber Security Council
We’re pleased to share the news that Arcanum has been recognised as a Member of the UK Cyber Security Council. The UK Cyber Security Council is the self-regulatory body and voice for UK cyber security education, training and skills. The board of experienced industry...
Arcanum Penetration Testing services receive CREST accreditation
Arcanum’s Penetration Testing services are a consultant lead exercise, designed to expose vulnerabilities that could leave you open to cyber-attacks. Arcanum offer a broad range of services to simulate different types of cyber-attack, and to test organisations...
Lawrie Abercrombie featured in Goldman Sachs report
Arcanum Cyber Security Co-founder, Lawrie Abercrombie has been featured in a Goldman Sachs report following his participation in the 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme. The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme operates nationally and is designed to...
Jane Chappell granted Freedom of the City of London
Yesterday, Arcanum Cyber Security Co-founder, Jane Chappell was granted Freedom of the City of London at the Guildhall London. Jane and her guests were escorted by the Beadle to the Chamberlain’s Court for the ceremony conducted by the Clerk of the Court. Jane was...
Jane Chappell Chairs Inside Housing Keynote Panel Discussion
This week, Arcanum co-founder Jane Chappell chaired a Keynote Panel Discussion at Inside Housing's Connected Futures Summit. Joining Jane on the panel were Rob Miller, Director of Customer Services & ICT London Borough of Hackney and Goher Mohammad, Head of...
Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Week 2: Gone Phishing
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. In the old days making money was quite easy for a criminal; you either mugged people, burgled their houses or bought yourself a sawn-off shotgun and robbed the nearest building society or post office. Times have...
Cyber Security Professionals – A Market for Lemons?
Blog by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum Co-founder and Technical Director In 1970, George Akerlof, a US Nobel Prize winning economist wrote a paper on the used car market in the USA titled ‘The Market for Lemons’. It describes a phenomenon where buyers of second-hand...
Cyber security Awareness Month, Week 1: Be Cyber Smart
Blog written by Arcanum Penetration Testing team Strong Passwords/Password Manager Setting passwords is always tricky – you can set something easy to remember but weak or easily guessed like Password1! or something hard to guess, but hard to remember like A@297vBk=....
Lawrie Abercrombie named as Fellow of the Certified Institute of Information Security
Arcanum co-founder and Technical Director, Lawrie Abercrombie has recently joined one of our Principal Consultants, Chris Gausden as a Fellow of the Certified Institute of Information Security (CIISec). CIISec is the only pure play information and cyber security...
Arcanum Celebrates Reserves Day 2021
Today is Reserves Day, an opportunity for the UK to celebrate and salute our Reserve Forces. Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces, balancing their civilian life with a military career to ensure that should their country require them, they...
Ransomware Attack on US Pipeline
Blog by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum Technical Director Over the weekend a ransomware attack forced the US's largest fuel pipeline operator to shut down its operations. There have been multiple comments in the media along the lines of "why was nothing done to prevent...
You Need To Get With The Process
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. I think that it is undisputed that a critical part of any accurate business security risk analysis, is the use of an accurate Business Impact Analysis (BIA), to focus on truly critical business assets. However, I...
An Unhealthy Ransom
Blog by Jane Chappell, Arcanum Operations Director. Following our ‘Stand and Deliver’ ransomware blog published on September 3rd, sadly this form of corporate extortion is still on the increase. Ransomware is not only the encryption of data rendering it unavailable to...
Industrial Clouds On The Horizon
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. Despite the title, this is not some scribblings on the subject of chemically vaporous pollution or global warming. However, it does represent a view of managing the practical security and compliance state of current...
Oh… For Compliance Sake!
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. I have had an extended career in Cyber Security (AKA Computer security/Information Assurance/Information Assurance and Security etc). During that time I have always perceived the existence of 2 distinct camps; those...
Maybe We Should Investigate?
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. Having been formally trained first as a police officer and then a government security investigator it has always intrigued me as to how commercial organisations investigate security incidents. Many seem to shy...
The Fluid World of Cyber Risks in IT and OT
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. As part of my far sighted Open University degree in Computer Science in the 1990s, I completed a course that taught the social impacts of IT (before the days of social media); and postulated the future...
Arcanum Granted Extension to UKAS ISO 17025 Accreditation
Following remote assessments from the UK Accreditation Service in April this year, Arcanum Digital Forensics have been granted an extension to the scope of our UKAS ISO 17025 accreditation, to include mobile devices and Forensic Science Regulator’s (FSR) Codes of...
Stand and Deliver
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant. Travelex, Honda, Garmin, Cognizant… who will be the next ‘holdup’ victim of ransomware? [1] Ransomware has been around since the last century. A check on Wikipedia will tell you the first documented attack was...
Practice What You Teach Universities and Cyber Security
Blog by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum's Technical Director, and Chris Gausden, Arcanum Principal Consultant One of the many dichotomies in the Cyber Security world is around the security of universities and their IT assets. Information technology and cyber security are...
A Different Perspective on Protecting Critical National Infrastructure
By Chris Gausden and Lawrie Abercrombie The Australian Government has been quite forward leaning in its approach to cyber security in general and has just published a Consultation Paper titled Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Systems of National Significance as...
Security Gone Cloudy…
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Cyber Security Principal Consultant. Organisations that haven’t fully migrated to cloud infrastructure and applications must by now be considering it. This has become the standard approach to efficient and resilient business IT services....
Celebrating Cadets Day
Arcanum Managing Director, Russ Wardle, as Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Gwent with Sea Cadets at the Newport D Day parade. Bringing the Armed Forces week to an end, today Arcanum is celebrating Cadets day. Here at Arcanum, we try to support the entirety of the...
The Evolution of Ransomware into Industrial Control Systems
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Cyber Security Principal Consultant. The publicity around the Wannacray and NotPetya ransomware in 2017 has now been documented and consigned to the history books. Although it was generally acknowledged that this was not a targeted...
Celebrating Reserves Day
Image: Cyber Security Consultant and Royal Navy Reservist, Chris Flynn. Today Arcanum is celebrating Reserves Day, which was created to highlight and recognise the valuable contribution Reservists make to our Armed Forces. Chris Flynn joined Arcanum last year...
Celebrating Armed Forces Week
Arcanum Director, Jane Chappell is Chairman of the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) for Northamptonshire. To mark the start of Armed Forces Week, yesterday Jane was invited to a Flag Raising Ceremony in Northampton. The ceremony took place outside the...
No Lockdown in the Cybercrime World
Blog by Chris Gausden, Arcanum Cyber Security Principal Consultant. Security has been a challenge for many thousands of years, and the advent of IT systems in the 90s merely added a new aspect to this perennial problem. In the past, targeted assets were physically...
The DCMS NIS Regulations Review
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has released a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 [1]. It is now two years since the NIS Regulations became law. The aim of the NIS Regulations is...
The USA Declared a National Emergency – Is the Elexon Cyber Attack the UK’s Trigger to Follow Suit?
Blog by Chris Flynn, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant. The cyber attack on Elexon this week should serve as a warning to the UK’s critical national infrastructure (CNI). It has been noted by thinktank RUSI that cyber-attacks have been on the rise during the CoViD-19...
Arcanum Cyber Security Partners With Toshiba Tec
Arcanum Cyber Security and Toshiba Tec have partnered to provide joint specialist information and cyber security consultancy services. Ben Gaston, Toshiba's UK Sales Director, said: “Given our ambition to disrupt the IT Services market through the provision of...
Could Remote Working Increase the Insider Threat to our Essential Services?
Blog by Chris Flynn, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant. Recent developments including the current pandemic, technological innovation and climate change have driven a huge rise in the number of remote workers. Our essential services have adapted to this increase...
The Importance of Cyber Security in Design: Zoom & Lessons from my Grandmother
Blog by Chris Flynn, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant. My Grandmother is a fantastic knitter and often tells me that “a stitch in time, saves nine”. Rather than knitting, I do cyber security but the lesson still resonates; if you’re going to do security stuff, do it...
Blackberry Cylance 2020 Threat Report & The NIS Regulations
Blog by Chris Flynn, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant. The Blackberry Cylance Threat Report is a report compiled by cyber security experts across many specialisations and is an accurate annual take on the current state of cyber security as well as a look at what is...
Secure Remote Working
The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is unparalleled during our lifetimes. However, given advances in IT many organisations are able to continue to do business, by allowing staff to work remotely. Some companies are very used to allowing remote access to...
Lies, Damn Lies and Cyber Security Statistics
Figure 1: Chances of Dying in the UK in 2018 from Assorted Causes Blog by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum’s Technical Director. There is no doubt that some statistics are more trustworthy than others. For example, the ones in our infographic above are generally based on...
Arcanum Receives Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award
Arcanum Cyber Security has been awarded the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award by the Ministry of Defence. Gold is the scheme’s highest level and recognises employers who actively support the Armed Forces community. Jane Chappell, Arcanum’s Operations...
Arcanum Digital Forensics Successfully Transitions to ISO17025:2017
Arcanum Digital Forensics announces its successful transition to the newest version of the required standard for digital forensics laboratories, ISO 17025:2017, which has now been approved by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. The accreditation is for capture...
Arcanum To Receive Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award
Arcanum Information Security have been awarded the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award by the Ministry of Defence. Gold is the scheme’s highest level and recognises employers who actively support the Armed Forces community and also encourage others to follow...
University White Papers
Universities: Hackers Fake Student Accounts by Lawrie Abercrombie | July 22, 2019 Universities and cyber security are one of Arcanum’s favourite topics. At the same time one of my colleagues is part of a panel assessing the competency... Read more:...
Universities: Hackers Fake Student Accounts
Blog by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum's Technical Director. Universities and cyber security are one of Arcanum's favourite topics. At the same time that one of my colleagues is part of a panel assessing the competency of Post and Under-Graduate Cyber Security degree...
Arcanum Secures G-Cloud 11 Status
Arcanum Information Security has been awarded a place on the G-Cloud framework for a sixth consecutive year. G-Cloud 11 is an agreement between UK Government and suppliers and allows public sector organisations to buy services in an efficient way. Arcanum’s Managing...
NIS Regulations for UK Critical National Infrastructure
By Chris Flynn, Arcanum Junior Consultant. The 2018 Network and Information Systems Regulations have been in force for a quite a while now though it would seem that the breadth of both the regulations and the businesses that are affected may not have been fully...
Cyber Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems
Blog by Jane Chappell, Arcanum's Operations Director. Following the trial inspection of COMAH Operators and associated IACS, ICS and OT in 2017, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) revised its Operational Guidance (OG) 86 “Cyber Security for Industrial Automation...
Universities in the spotlight once again
Blog post by Arcanum Cyber Security Our team has been looking at cyber security issues in the Higher education sector for some time, and over the last couple of years we have published a number of pieces, detailing some of that research into attacks on US universities...
Proeon Systems and Arcanum Cyber Form Closer Ties
Proeon Systems and Arcanum Cyber have agreed to work together to provide specialist services to help UK Critical National Infrastructure become safe, secure, and to achieve compliance with the NIS Regulations. Arcanum Cyber, specialists in Cyber Security and Proeon...
Defence Against The Dark Arts – Mitigating Against ICS Malware
Blog by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum's Technical Director This month, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre is hosting an event titled “The Safety and Cyber Security of Industrial Control Systems”. One of the topics is an attack on a Saudi Arabian oil and gas...
Universities – In the Cyber Firing Line
White Paper by Lawrie Abercrombie, Arcanum's Technical Director Cyber-attacks against universities hit the news again last week with reports that Iranian Hackers targeted 18 in the UK, including several offering cybersecurity degrees certified by the National Cyber...
Arcanum are listed in the Cyber Security Supplier to Government Scheme
Arcanum are listed under the Cyber Security Supplier to Government Scheme; this means Arcanum are able to publicly advertise our Cyber Security Services to the Government. About Arcanum Group Arcanum Information Security was formed in 2008 and is a leading NCSC...
NCSC Certified Cyber Security Consultancy
We are proud to announce that Arcanum has been granted Certified Cyber Security Consultancy status by the National Cyber Security Centre. The Certification has been granted for our proven track record, expertise and professional qualifications for Risk Assessment and...
Your very Own Ticking time Bomb – The Security Issues of Removable Media
Have you ever had one of those days; starting with burnt toast in the morning or no milk in the fridge for your coffee and then you get to the office or your client’s office on the day of the important meeting and you realise that your USB drive has decided not to...
Cyber: A Bad Week for Universities
It’s been a bad 7 days for the World’s universities on the cyber front. Last week, MacEwan University in Canada lost £7.5 million to a phishing attack at about the same time as a hacker stole the private details of 13,000 students at Australia’s North Metropolitan...
The Maersk Cyber Attack is a wake up call for the industry
The Cyber Attack on Maersk marked the most high profile online hit of a shipping firm to date, this should be a wakeup call for the industry as reported by the Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping 'We Expect the cyber-attack will impact results negatively...
Our Accreditation Journey
In 2011, the Forensic Science Regulator set out deadlines for accreditation of digital forensics Laboratories in “Codes of Practice and Conduct for forensic science providers and practitioners in the Criminal Justice System”. In short, to provide forensic science...
Cyber Risk Management – It’s not just for the IT Department!
In June this year, Boomerang Video Ltd, a small business selling and renting video games, was fined £60,000 by the Information Commissioner. Why? Because in 2014 an attacker got into its customer database, obtained payment card details and used them to commit...
Joint industry launches latest industry guidelines on Cyber Security
The second edition of The Guidelines on Cyber Security Onboard Ships has been released. The latest practical advice has been compiled by the joint industry group, which is led by BIMCO. BIMCO was the first organisation to see the benefit in joining forces with other...
Who are the bad guys?
Several questions will inevitably arise out of the cyber-attack on the UK Houses of Parliament, from “why are MPs still using weak passwords?” through to “Why?” and “Who is behind it?” On the face of it, the answer to the latter two is highly likely to be a hostile...