Not too long ago – in May 2023, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) raised serious concerns about the alarmingly low rate of reporting by companies following data breaches. They pointed out that many businesses hesitate to report incidents out of fear that it will make the breach public knowledge, potentially leading to reputational damage.

Fast forward to today, the UK's digital resilience is still under threat from an increasingly complex web of cyber risks. These range from sophisticated nation-state-sponsored attacks to opportunistic ransomware campaigns. Some of these attempts succeed, leading to high-profile breaches like the case of the Electoral Commission, where 40 million records were compromised.

However, amidst this digital chaos, there is progress. Back in May 2023, we were given a hint of what was to come. Now, the NCSC and ICO have taken a step forward by signing a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance collaboration on cyber threats and breaches. This agreement sets a framework for sharing information and working together, offering businesses an incentive to engage in breach reporting by potentially reducing regulatory penalties.

İrem Tekinel Çalışkan, LL.M., Privacy Consultant at Privacy Culture Limited, believes that working closely with regulators is not just a responsibility—it’s a smart strategy for protecting digital assets. As businesses face ever-changing threats, Privacy Culture Limited’s Horizon Platform provides essential support in keeping organisations informed, vigilant, and proactive.

The Horizon Platform is designed to help businesses manage privacy risks effectively. With privacy compliance automation, companies can streamline their regulatory obligations, reducing the burden of manual compliance tasks. Horizon also integrates data breach response tools, ensuring organisations can act swiftly and efficiently when incidents occur. As a privacy management platform, Horizon enables businesses to strengthen their defensible position, helping them to stay ahead of emerging risks while maintaining compliance.