The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published public guidance encouraging UK organisations to review their cyber security posture following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
While there is no indication of a direct, large-scale cyber campaign against UK targets, the NCSC has assessed that the risk of indirect and collateral cyber activity is heightened, particularly for organisations with supply chains, service providers, or assets connected to the region.
Key risks highlighted by the NCSC
According to publicly available NCSC guidance, organisations should remain alert to the following attack types:
- Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting internet-facing services
- Phishing campaigns designed to compromise user credentials or deploy malware
- Targeting of operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS), particularly within critical infrastructure environments
Hacktivist groups reported to be active during periods of geopolitical tension typically focus on organisations with exposed systems, unpatched services, or weak access controls, rather than specific sectors.
Immediate review actions for regulated organisations
Regulated organisations may wish to prioritise the following steps:
- Supply chain visibility
Review key third-party providers and technology partners, including indirect dependencies, for operational or infrastructure links to higher-risk regions. - External attack surface review
Confirm that only necessary services are exposed to the internet and that remote access services are securely configured and patched. - Access control assurance
Validate that multi-factor authentication is enforced, privileged access is restricted, and exposed credentials are rotated where appropriate. - Monitoring and alerting
Increase scrutiny of network activity and consider registering for the NCSC’s Early Warning service to receive notifications of relevant threats. - Phishing resilience
Reinforce staff awareness of phishing techniques, particularly messages referencing geopolitical events or urgent operational issues. - Incident response readiness
Ensure incident response plans are current, understood, and tested, with clear escalation paths and reporting procedures.
How PDQ can help
PDQ is a UK cyber security company working in partnership with WatchGuard .
If you need help reviewing your cyber security posture, understanding your exposure, or implementing appropriate controls, contact PDQ
Disclaimer
This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, or professional advice. References to guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) are based on publicly available information. PDQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the NCSC or GCHQ. Organisations should consider their own regulatory obligations and seek appropriate professional advice where required.