The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) took down more scams in the past year than in the previous years combined, as cyber security experts faced extra pressure to protect the UK public and critical services like the NHS during the coronavirus crisis.

According to the NCSC, GCHQ's cyber security arm , this represents a fifteen-fold increase in the number of scams removed from the internet over the past 12 months.

The centre used an Active Cyber Defence (ACD) programme to help protect services and the general public.

“As the cyber security community prepares to gather for CYBERUK, the ACD report offers a helpful insight into just some of the ways the NCSC has adapted to protect the UK during the pandemic,” said Lindy Cameron, chief executive of the NCSC. “Whether it has been protecting vital research into the vaccine or helping people work from home securely, the NCSC has worked with partners to protect the digital homeland during this unprecedented period."

Cameron added: “I look forward to hearing from thought leaders at CYBERUK as we reflect on this period and look ahead to building a resilient and prosperous digital UK after the pandemic.”

Dr Ian Levy, technical director of the NCSC, said: “The ACD programme is truly a collaborative effort, and it’s thanks to our joint efforts with partners both at home and internationally that we’ve been able to significantly ramp up our efforts to protect the UK. This has never been more important than in the last year, where it was vital for us to do everything we could to protect our most critical services and the wider public during the pandemic.”

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