News Security Read more online at www.securitymattersmagazine.com
Crowded Space Drones passes detailed
compliance test for UK’s private sector
10
WORKING IN collaboration with
Lloyd’s, KPMG has just published a
report highlighting the new threats
posed to Intellectual Property
portfolios by a changing risk
landscape that’s abundantly evident
under the COVID-19 pandemic.
Entitled ‘Safeguarding
Intellectual Property to Enhance
Corporate Value’, the report duly
examines the increasing
importance of Intellectual Property
as a driver of corporate value,
drawing attention to the risks and
opportunities facing businesses.
The document notes that many
corporate leaders are not aware of
the value of their business’
Intellectual Property. Neither are
they involved in the risk planning
around it which can leave valuable
businesses exposed to risks that
threaten their intellectual capital.
They may also fail to maximise
returns on their companies’
Intellectual Property portfolios.
As businesses race to fully
digitise their processes and deploy a
remote workforce in response to
the pandemic, in parallel they’re
exposing their Intellectual Property
to a range of new risks. In
particular, the report identifies risks
that emanate directly from rising
cyber security threats.
With vulnerability most
prevalent in the development
phases of Intellectual Property,
remote working makes it that much
more difficult for organisations to
protect confidential information
from cyber criminals.
Paul Merrey, insurance partner
at KPMG UK, explained to Security
Matters: “Intellectual Property is
becoming an increasingly
important driver of corporate value.
Without proper valuation or risk
management processes in place,
businesses face failing to capitalise
on their Intellectual Property
portfolios, not to mention
potentially damaging them.”
Merrey continued: “Currently,
insurance offerings in this space are
somewhat limited, but insurance
can play a key role in safeguarding
value. There are major
opportunities for those willing to
go beyond covering the legal costs
associated with Intellectual
Property infringement as existing
solutions do and, further, provide
more comprehensive cover that
demonstrates a greater appreciation
for Intellectual Property’s value.”
CPS records
1,500-plus data
breach episodes
in last 12 months
THE CROWN Prosecution
Service (CPS) has recorded 1,627
data breaches over the entirety of
the 2019-2020 financial year.
According to official statistics,
that figure is up from 1,378 in
the previous financial year.
The data, which is contained
in the CPS’ Annual Report, has
been analysed by Griffin Law, a
leading UK litigation practice. It
also reveals that 59 data breach
incidents were so severe they had
to be reported to the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Analysis shows that the breaches
outlined have potentially affected
up to 1,346 people.
The period from January to
March saw by far the largest
quantity of severe personal data
incidents, with 21 data handling
episodes leading to the loss of
ABE and media discs, as well as
an additional 18 incidents of
unauthorised disclosure of case
information, duly impacting no
less than 1,233 people in total.
By way of comparison, just 11
incidents of unauthorised
disclosures of case information
affected 56 people in the period
October to December 2019, 12
data handling incidents and
unauthorised disclosures of case
information impacted 34 people
in January to March and 23
people were impacted in April to
June 2019 by a sum total of 15
personal data incidents.
In all, 1,463 of the total data
breaches recorded over the entire
financial year were due to
unauthorised disclosure of
information, with 78 being
considered ‘severe’ in nature.
The final 21 reported cases
were due to the loss of devices,
including laptops, tablets and
mobile phones, although only
one of these devices was not
eventually recovered. Thankfully,
no CPS data was compromised
as a result of these losses.
UK SURVEILLANCE Camera
Commissioner Tony Porter QPM
LLB has awarded Crowded Space
Drones the first-ever private sector
certificate of compliance in relation
to surveillance camera systems and
the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
for the use of Unmanned Aircraft
Systems (UAS, ie drones) in
surveillance-related applications.
This certification has been
granted following a comprehensive
independent audit conducted by IQ
Verify on behalf of the Surveillance
Camera Commissioner. Historically,
this certification has only ever been
granted to public sector
organisations such as the police
service and the National Health
Service. That being so, this
development represents a significant
step forward when it comes to
recognised drone-centric standards
for the private sector.
Crowded Space Drones is a
leading provider of public safety and
surveillance-focused drone solutions
in the UK, working for organisations
ranging from the police service right
through to local authorities and
several enforcement agencies. The
business holds an enhanced
permission from the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) that allows its
drones to fly closer to people and
higher than a height of 400 feet.
Speaking about the compliance
process, Andrew McQuillan
(director of Crowded Space Drones)
told Security Matters: “When
conducting surveillance for public
authorities, transparency of
compliance is crucial to the authority
itself and the public. We’re
exceptionally proud to be the only
private sector organisation to have
obtained this certification. It affords
our clients confidence that we
comply with all of the relevant
legislation in this area and also
enables public trust in our work.”
Audit process
Crowded Space Drones was audited
by IQ Verify in October. The audit
process itself was monitored by the
Surveillance Camera Commissioner
and encompassed all policies and
procedures in relation to data
protection, privacy, subject access
and cyber security. Previous
surveillance deployments by the
company were also audited to ensure
that all historic work has complied
with the law and recognised Best
Practice procedures.
Laurence Clarke, director of IQ
Verify, explained: “It’s a little-known
fact that the remit of the Surveillance
Camera Code of Practice specifically
includes surveillance camera systems
used in UAS applications, whether
this use is within the private sector
or linked to a relevant authority.”
He concluded: “Of the great many
private sector UAS organisations in
the UK, it’s exciting to see Crowded
Space Drones set the quality
benchmark for the industry having
now achieved the very first
Surveillance Camera Code of
Practice certification.”
“COVID-19 poses new cyber threats to
Intellectual Property” warns KPMG
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