Govt urged to 'name and shame' firms with poor cyber security

A new report has called on the government to 'name and shame' companies that have not done enough to improve their cyber security defences.

The UK Active Cyber Defence study, produced by the Policy Institute and the Cyber Security Research Group at King's College London, said the public should have a right to see what steps firms are taking to ensure their data is safe.

Identifying those that have failed to put in place adequate defences will help incentivise those businesses that may still not give this area the close attention it deserves.

"If consumers cannot trust a company, they will withdraw their support and a company’s bottom line will suffer," the report stated.

"The 'carrot' is the recognition of one’s commitment to cybersecurity; the 'stick' is the risk of going out of business."

The report aimed to evaluate the role of the Active Cyber Defence strategy in boosting the UK's security, and concluded that while it is not perfect, it has huge potential to help reduce cyber crime.