, nativename_a = , nativename_r = , logo = File:Logo of National Cyber Security Centre Ireland.gif , logo_width = , logo_caption = , seal = , seal_width = , seal_caption = , picture = , picture_width = , picture_caption = , formed = 2011 as CSIRT-IE
2013 as NCSC
2015 officially , preceding1 = , preceding2 = , dissolved = , superseding = , jurisdiction =

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, headquarters = 29-31 Adelaide Road,

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

2, D02 X285 , coordinates = , motto = , employees = , budget = , prime_minister_name = , minister1_name =

Eamon Ryan Eamon Michael Ryan (born 28 July 1963) is an Irish Green Party politician who has served as Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport since June 2020 and Leader of the Green Party since May 2011. He ha ...

, TD , minister1_pfo =

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications ( ga, An tAire Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The ...

, minister2_name = , minister2_pfo = , deputyminister1_name = , deputyminister1_pfo = , deputyminister2_name = , deputyminister2_pfo = , chief1_name = Richard Browne , chief1_position = Director , chief2_name = , chief2_position = , director_general = , agency_type = , parent_department = , parent_agency = , child1_agency = , child2_agency = , keydocument1 = , website
ncsc.gov.ie
, footnotes = , map = , map_width = , map_caption = The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a government

computer security Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, the ...

organisation in

, an operational arm of the

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications ( ga, An Roinn Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide) is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors and regulat ...

. The NCSC was developed in 2013 and formally established by the

Irish government The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...

in July 2015. It is responsible for Ireland's cyber security, with primary focus on securing government networks, protecting critical national infrastructure, and assisting businesses and citizens in protecting their own systems. The NCSC incorporates the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE). The NCSC is headquartered at 29/31 Adelaide Road,

Mandate and organisation

The mandate for the NCSC includes; * activities to reduce the vulnerability of critical systems and networks within the state to incidents and

cyber-attack A cyberattack is any offensive maneuver that targets computer information systems, computer networks, infrastructures, or personal computer devices. An attacker is a person or process that attempts to access data, functions, or other restricted ...

s; * effective response when such attacks occur; * responsibility for the protection of critical information infrastructure; * establishing and maintaining cooperative relationships with national and international partners. Threats identified to Ireland's critical infrastructure and government networks include: lone individuals, activist groups, criminal groups, terrorist groups, and nation states seeking to gather intelligence or to damage or degrade infrastructure. Incidents arising through extreme weather, human error and hardware or software failure also pose significant risks to individuals, businesses and public administration. Work relating to the National Cyber Security Centre, and any records associated with the security of ICT systems in the state and outside it, are exempt from being disclosed under

freedom of information Freedom of information is freedom of a person or people to publish and consume information. Access to information is the ability for an individual to seek, receive and impart information effectively. This sometimes includes "scientific, indigeno ...

(FOI). Richard Browne was appointed as the NCSC's director in January 2022, having served as acting director for the previous 18 months.

Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE)

The Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE) was established in late 2011 (prior to the official formation of the NCSC) within the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and includes secondees from other government agencies. The main role of CSIRT-IE is to provide a 24/7 expert emergency response to computer security incidents across all public sector bodies, as well as providing advice to reduce threat exposure. CSIRT-IE engages in emergency planning with government agencies overseen by the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) within the

Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...

and the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, chaired by the

Minister for Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

. CSIRT-IE shares information with the

European Union Agency for Network and Information Security The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity – self-designation ENISA from the abbreviation of its original name – is an agency of the European Union. It is fully operational since September 1, 2005. The Agency is located in Athens, Greece an ...

(ENISA). Outlining the future core aspects of work of the NCSC, the government's
National Cyber Security Strategy 2015-2017
' states that the NCSC is to seek formal international accreditation for a Government CSIRT (g/CSIRT), expected in 2016, and accreditation will be sought for a formal National CSIRT (n/CSIRT), while also developing a capacity in the area of

Industrial Control Systems An industrial control system (ICS) is an electronic control system and associated instrumentation used for industrial process control. Control systems can range in size from a few modular panel-mounted controllers to large interconnected and i ...

and

SCADA Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is a control system architecture comprising computers, networked data communications and graphical user interfaces for high-level supervision of machines and processes. It also covers sensors and ...

, which are used to run vital state networks such as electricity, water and telecommunications.

Inter-departmental cooperation

There is a strong culture of cooperation between the National Cyber Security Centre and the

Irish Defence Forces The Defence Forces ( ga, Fórsaí Cosanta, officially styled ) derives its origins from the Irish Volunteers. Whilst the Irish for ''Defence Forces'' is , as Ó Cearúil (1999) points out, the Defence Forces are officially styled . is used in ...

in areas regarding technical skill sets, technical information sharing and exercise participation. Arrangements are due to be formalised by means of a Service Level Agreement with the Department of Defence, including a mechanism for the immediate sharing of technical expertise and information in the event of a major national cyber incident or emergency. The branch of the Irish military with responsibility for cyber defence is the Communications and Information Services Corps (CIS). The

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...

, the national police service, is involved with the NCSC in a preventative and investigative capacity, with regards to

national security National security, or national defence, is the security and defence of a sovereign state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government. Originally conceived as protection against military atta ...

and

computer crime A cybercrime is a crime that involves a computer or a computer network.Moore, R. (2005) "Cyber crime: Investigating High-Technology Computer Crime," Cleveland, Mississippi: Anderson Publishing. The computer may have been used in committing th ...

. Its liaison relationships with international security services is particularly helpful to the NCSC in identifying emerging threats and vulnerabilities, and establishing best practice preventative measures. There is to be a Memorandum of Understanding with the

Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

on this matter, and upcoming cyber legislation will support the work of the National Cyber Security Centre. There is also a Memorandum of Understanding with the

Centre for Cybersecurity & Cybercrime Investigation The University College Dublin Centre for Cybersecurity & Cybercrime Investigation (UCD CCI) is a centre for research and education in cybersecurity, cybercrime and digital forensic science in Dublin, Ireland. The UCD Centre for Cybersecurity & ...

(CCI) at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

, Europe's leading centre for research and education in cybersecurity, cybercrime and

digital forensics Digital forensics (sometimes known as digital forensic science) is a branch of forensic science encompassing the recovery, investigation, examination and analysis of material found in digital devices, often in relation to mobile devices and co ...

References

External links

National Cyber Security Strategy 2015-2017 (Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources)
{{Coord, 53.332197, -6.255345, display=title Irish intelligence agencies Signals intelligence agencies Cyberwarfare Cryptography organizations Information technology management

Software engineering organizations Communications in the Republic of Ireland Telecommunications in the Republic of Ireland Cybercrime in the Republic of Ireland

Mandate and organisation

Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE)

Inter-departmental cooperation

See also

References

External links