Upcoming Events
National Cyber Security Centre Webinar: Cyber Risks and Online Safety for Politicians and Policy Makers
COSLA, the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) are hosting a webinar on Tuesday 8 September 2026, from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. The session will provide elected members and local government leaders with insight into emerging cyber threats and practical guidance to help protect themselves, their organisations and the communities they serve.
As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, elected members, local authority leaders and senior officers are being targeted through personal email accounts, devices and social media platforms. Sophisticated attackers are targeting individuals, creating risks not only to personal information, but also to reputation, public trust and democratic processes.
The session will provide a clear, non-technical overview of the threats facing people in public leadership roles, alongside practical advice and support to help keep you, your family and your organisation safe. It will also introduce the NCSC's Individual Cyber Defence service, available free of charge for elected members, senior council officers and COSLA employees. To find out more about the service, please contact individualsupport@ncsc.gov.uk.
What you will learn
- The cyber threats affecting government leaders and elected members.
- Who is behind these attacks and why they are happening.
- Practical steps you can take to strengthen your personal cyber security.
- Information on the NCSC's Individual Cyber Defence service and how to access support.
Who should attend?
- Council Leaders and Elected Members
- Chief Executives and SOLACE colleagues
- Directors and Senior Management Teams
- COSLA Leaders, Senior Management Team and Policy Leads
- Council employees responsible for Cyber Security
Please note that, due to the nature of the content, the session will not be recorded, transcribed or shared afterwards. We would therefore encourage you to attend live. Relevant public guidance from the NCSC will be circulated following the event.
We would be grateful if you could share this invitation with elected members and senior colleagues across your organisation. The more we can do collectively to strengthen cyber resilience across local government, the better protected our democratic institutions, public services and communities will be.
