New measures will protect vital public services by detecting cyber weaknesses faster and building a skilled cyber workforce
The UK government has slashed the time to fix critical cyber weaknesses in public services by 84%, cutting the average from 50 days to just 8 days, while reducing the backlog of unresolved issues by 75%.
The newly launched Vulnerability Monitoring Service (VMS) now continuously scans 6,000 public sector bodies, resolving around 400 confirmed vulnerabilities each month and sharply reducing the window for cyber criminals to exploit weaknesses.
Initially focused on the Domain Name System (DNS) – the internet’s address book that directs users to government websites – the VMS protects essential services such as the NHS and the Legal Aid Agency from threats including data theft, service disruption, or redirection to fraudulent websites. The service alerts organisations with actionable guidance and tracks progress until each issue is fully resolved.
Alongside this, the government has launched its first-ever Cyber Profession to recruit, train, and retain top cyber talent. The programme includes a Cyber Academy, apprenticeships, structured career pathways aligned with UK Cyber Security Council standards, and a dedicated Cyber Resourcing Hub.
North West England, including Manchester, will serve as a primary hub, strengthening the region’s growing digital ecosystem and ensuring long-term cyber resilience across public services.
These initiatives dramatically reduce the risk of cyber attacks on services relied on by millions of people every day. By combining faster vulnerability detection and resolution with a professional cyber workforce, the government is bolstering the security and resilience of essential services while creating attractive career opportunities for cyber specialists.
Andy Ward, SVP International at Absolute Security commented: “Last year, NCSC reported a 50% rise in highly significant attacks, alongside our recent research highlighting that almost a fifth of organisations experienced operational disruptions that lasted as long as two weeks, with the majority facing downtime that lasted nearly five days, when hit with a cyber-attack.
Organisations which are not prepared to bounce back quickly face an almost existential crisis, as prolonged downtime can literally crush the public sector. Cyber-attacks are no longer a question of if but when. Therefore, it is essential that the public sector has a cyber resilience strategy in place, that enables them to identify threats, manage disruption effectively, and return to full service with minimal delay.”
Sawan Joshi, Group Director of Information Security at FDM Group, commented: “In this escalating cyber threat landscape, it is essential that both Government and businesses take action to withstand rising risks. Building true cyber resilience means prioritising continuous training and sustained investment in developing young cyber talent. Technology is vital, but it is the skills, readiness and adaptability of people that ultimately determine how effectively threats are mitigated and sensitive data is protected.”
Minister for Digital Government Ian Murray said: “Cyber-attacks aren’t abstract threats – they delay NHS appointments, disrupt essential services, and put people’s most sensitive data at risk.”
“But technology alone isn’t enough. Today I’m launching a new government Cyber Profession to attract and develop the talented people we need to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats – making government a destination of choice for cyber professionals who want to protect the services that matter most to people’s lives.”
The VMS is part of the government’s Blueprint for Modern Digital Government (Jan 2025) and Cyber Action Plan (£210m investment). It uses commercial and proprietary scanning tools to detect vulnerabilities in public sector internet-facing assets and tracks remediation until completion.
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