Scotland’s essential services are now a constant target for increasingly sophisticated cyber attackers. While the public sector is often the primary victim, the impact of these attacks cascades far beyond councils, health boards and emergency services. They can disrupt private sector supply chains, voluntary organisations and critical national infrastructure. The challenge for organisations in Scotland is to build a unified, cross-sector approach to defending the digital front line to minimise future major breaches.
Across Scotland cyber-attacks are growing in frequency, complexity and scale. Local authorities face attempted intrusions on a daily basis. NHS systems have already been brought down by ransomware, and public sector suppliers have been compromised to gain access to sensitive data. Adversaries range from organised criminal networks to state-sponsored actors, and the costs of a breach – financial, operational and reputational – are escalating. This is not simply an IT problem – it is a threat to service delivery, public trust, private business, third sector services and societal stability.
The reality is that the public sector’s cyber vulnerabilities are often magnified by its dependence on digital services, complex legacy systems and a vast network of third-party providers. Weaknesses in one organisation can provide a gateway into others, making supply chain and procurement security as important as defending internal systems. Without coordinated intelligence sharing and clear incident response capabilities, Scotland’s ability to contain the damage from cyber incidents is diminished.
Meanwhile, the human factor remains the most common entry point for cyber attackers. Phishing emails, credential theft and social engineering are exploiting gaps in awareness and training across every sector. Building a cyber-aware workforce is not just about technical skills – it is about embedding security culture into everyday decisions made by staff, managers, executives and boards.
At a time when public services are already under unprecedented operational and financial pressure, cyber resilience is both a defensive necessity and a matter of national security. To protect the continuity of health, education, transport, housing and social services, leaders must treat cyber threats as an urgent and shared challenge requiring joint action within and between public, private and the third sectors.
This conference examines the nature of the threats we face, how to respond when an incident occurs and what actions need to be taken to promote prevention and defence in cyber security before the worst can happen. It considers these themes in three sessions:
Topics to be discussed
Who should attend
This conference is intended for all those with a role related to cyber security, resilience, business continuity and information security in any organisation in Scotland including, but not limited to,:
Cyber Resilience Co-ordinator
SCVO
Head of Information Assurance & Cyber Security
Leidos UK
Partner
Anderson Strathern
CEO
ScotlandIS
Head of Cyber Skills Academy
Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland
UK Board Director & crisis communications expert
Grayling
Project Manager
Digital Skills Education
Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager
Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland
Alison Brogan
Cyber Resilience Co-ordinator
SCVO
Alison Brogan is the Cyber Resilience Co-ordinator at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the national membership organisation for the voluntary sector in Scotland.
She has over 15 years experience in cyber security, having carried out a wide range of operational, managerial and consultancy roles throughout security operations.
She joined SCVO in 2023 with a strong focus on improving cyber resilience. Her remit is to support charities in becoming more cyber resilient with the co-ordinated implementation of the Scottish Government’s Third Sector Cyber Resilience Action Plan.
Richard Jones
Head of Information Assurance & Cyber Security
Leidos UK
Richard Jones is a senior cyber security leader with extensive experience protecting government, national security, and critical public services. He spent 26 years with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, delivering technology and engineering programmes, leading on security and resilience.
Since joining Leidos in 2014, Richard has built and now leads the company’s UK Cyber Security and Assurance capability. His team supports government departments, defence, national security organisations, and critical national infrastructure providers to strengthen resilience against evolving threats.
Richard is passionate about developing both people and technology to deliver practical, innovative cyber solutions. Working closely with partners across industry and government, he brings a strategic focus on safeguarding essential public services, ensuring trust in digital transformation, and helping organisations anticipate and respond to the risks shaping today’s cyber landscape.
Douglas McLachlan
Partner
Anderson Strathern
Douglas is a highly experienced partner in our corporate department. Douglas heads up our Data & Technology team and works on all aspects of Intellectual Property /Information Technology law, including the protection and exploitation of trade marks, copyright, branding, patents, know-how, database and design rights. He also has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts such as software as a service (SaaS) agreements, software licences, research and development agreements, agency, distribution and franchise agreements.
He also advises clients in relation to data protection and freedom of information issues, including advising on the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. He is certified by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Cyber Security and advises on digital and cyber issues including the use, regulation and governance of Artificial Intelligence.
Douglas also advises on consumer protection, advertising and marketing and “passing off” issues.
Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Public Procurement Law, Douglas helps public bodies design and run successful procurement exercises. He also supports private sector tenderers who bid for these contracts. His expert advice is particularly valued on contentious procurement matters, where he helps both aggrieved bidders and defending contracting authorities.
Douglas has acted in numerous cases in both the Court of Session and the sheriff court. He has also gained experience advising on competition law and has advised a number of clients subject to cartel investigation by the Competition & Markets Authority. His expertise has also enhanced mergers and acquisitions that require clearance from UK competition authorities.
Douglas is named as a Leading Partner in Intellectual Property law in Scotland by the Legal 500 (2025).
Karen Meechan
CEO
ScotlandIS
Karen is a passionate supporter of the Scottish digital tech industry and has been for over 17 years. As Chief Executive Officer of ScotlandIS, the membership body for the industry, she is inspired daily by innovative solutions that are created by the sector that change the way we all live. One of the greatest parts of her job is watching these companies take something from little more than an idea on paper, to a hugely successful business.
Katie O'Neill
Head of Cyber Skills Academy
Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland
As the Head of Skills Academy at the Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland, I lead the development and implementation of comprehensive cybersecurity training programmes designed to enhance resilience across diverse organisations.
Building upon my extensive experience in cybercrime training with Police Scotland, I oversee the creation of practical, hands-on courses covering areas such as Cyber Incident Response, Secure Leaders and Introduction to Cyber Security. My role involves collaborating with stakeholders to ensure our training initiatives address emerging cyber threats and align with industry best practices. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, I aim to empower organisations to proactively defend against cyber threats and strengthen their overall cybersecurity posture.
Billy Partridge
UK Board Director & crisis communications expert
Grayling
Grayling is an international communications consultancy operating in 40+ countries. Billy is responsible for Grayling’s Scotland operations in Edinburgh and Glasgow and is a member of its UK Board. A corporate communications expert with over 20 years’ experience, Billy is also part of Grayling’s global crisis taskforce, which brings together best practice in crisis communications and preparedness from experts around the world.
Billy has led crisis communications responses for many clients involved in cyber attacks, both local and international. These have involved public sector data breaches; disabled client payment and operating systems; malware and ransomware; and direct physical access attacks. He is familiar with media and customer responses to cyber breaches and is often involved in formulating communications strategies alongside clients and their IT/cyber security experts looking to recover systems.
Billy will provide a front-line perspective on the role of communications in a cyber attack, and what tends to happen when the media is involved.
Kirstie Steele
Project Manager
Digital Skills Education
Kirstie said "I’m really looking forward to joining Cyber Safe Scotland to share what workers are telling us about cyber resilience training, and how we can all do more to help them feel confident and supported."
Kirstie is a cyber security education and communication professional, and Project Manager at Digital Skills Education. She empowers people with the knowledge and skills to get the most out of technology – at home, in the workplace, or at school.
Kirstie has a track record of upskilling thousands of workers across Scotland and promoting key cyber resilience practices. She previously worked as the CyberScotland Community Lead at the Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland.
Kirstie cares about making cyber security accessible to all, teaching the fundamentals, and empowering individuals to feel confident about keeping secure online.
Norman Stevenson
Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager
Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland
Norman Stevenson is the Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager at the Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland (CFCS).
Before joining the CFCS in 2024, Norman was a Detective Chief Inspector in Police Scotland as the tactical lead for Cyber Investigations and Digital Forensics. With extensive experience in Local Policing and Serious Criminal Investigations, he focused on Cyber Threats, Responses and Investigations, seeing close working relationships with cyber partners and industry leaders across Scotland as the key to supporting all sectors from falling victim to Cybercrimes.
As the CFCS Incident Response & Threat Intelligence Manager, Norman now works closely with CFCS partners supporting organisations with their preventative measures and throughout all stages of a cyberattack.
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