Curated advice, guidance, learning and trends in cybersecurity and privacy, as chosen by our consultants.
New initiative to foster female cybersecurity leadership comes to Ireland
A new initiative aiming to encourage people from diverse backgrounds into the cybersecurity industry will launch in Ireland this Autumn. Empowering-You is now accepting applications for its award-winning leadership development programme. Up to 20 participants can take part, with a cross-industry panel choosing the successful applicants. The programme combines face-to-face sessions and experiential learning. It includes a pair of two-day in-person workshops; talks by guest industry speakers who will share their personal leadership stories; and one-to-one coaching sessions with a professional leadership coach.
Over the past five years, the initiative has already done great work in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK, addressing the industry’s longstanding gender diversity gap. Figures from ISC(2) suggest that female participation in the security workforce is just 22 per cent. To deliver the programme, Empowering-You has set up partnerships with Cyber Ireland, the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec), as well as Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) UK and Ireland, and Women4Cyber Ireland. The closing date for applications is 4 September, and there’s more information available here.
ISMS MANAGEMENT: SECURITY EXPERTISE AT YOUR SERVICE
Meeting the ISO27001 security standard calls for continuous commitment, and managing an ISMS is a key part of the task. But this calls for a particular set of skills: expertise, time, and attention to detail, and few organisations have the internal resources to carry out this vital work. With BH Consulting’s ISMS Management as a service, your business gains access to outsourced specialist security expertise without the expense of hiring a fulltime professional. Our qualified resource works with your teams and stakeholders to make sure you’re protecting the information that matters most, staying compliant with ISO 27001, while staying focused on your business. To find out more, call us today on +353 1 440 4065 or email info@bhconsulting.ie.
Data protection and privacy roundup: breach reporting made easier; (tech) born in the EU; risky record-keeping
The European Data Protection Board has released a standard data breach notification template to make it easier for organisations to report data breaches to regulators, in line with their GDPR obligations. The template is subject to a public consultation period until 5 August.
Some European governments are starting to adopt local or open-source alternatives amid growing distrust of US technology companies’ independence. The European Parliament is replacing Google Search with Qwant on internal devices, citing privacy concerns. Earlier this year, it emerged that France plans to drop Zoom and Teams in favour of a homegrown videoconferencing platform. French ministries are also being encouraged to adopt Linux in place of Windows. These moves reflect broader EU efforts to increase its digital autonomy and reduce reliance on US technology. Alongside this, the European Commission’s proposed tech sovereignty package focuses on semiconductors, cloud, AI, and open source. The open source strategy is a cornerstone of the package, and backers claim it’s not just cheaper but more secure.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that employers may struggle to justify retaining records of investigations where no wrongdoing was found. The case involved a police officer whose retained arrest data affected promotions.
The Data Protection Commission and the ADAPT Centre have strengthened collaboration on AI governance and children’s online safety. A recent research symposium addressed regulatory challenges across emerging technologies, and how they intersect with children’s data protection and online safety.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has urged greater scrutiny of An Garda Síochána’s planned rollout of body-worn cameras, at a cost of €150 million. The group cites unresolved concerns about privacy safeguards, oversight, data retention, and access controls.
New NCSC website enhances SME security
The National Cyber Security Centre has launched a new website that aims to enhance small and medium businesses’ cybersecurity readiness with advice and guidance. The SMECORE site includes a dedicated incident response section to support businesses that may fall victim to a security incident or attack. This ‘SOS’ resource, displayed prominently on the website’s homepage, helps business owners through the steps needed to manage and respond to incidents, and to recover effectively.
Another section of the website has a dedicated ‘ask the expert’ feature that gives SMEs in Ireland direct access to cybersecurity specialists that they might not have the resources to employ themselves. This section includes advice on best practices, intelligence about emerging threats, important cyber hygiene measures, and improving resilience. Co-funded by the EU, the website is accessible for free at sme.ncsc.gov.ie. BH Consulting is proud to have contributed to developing the six awareness videos featured on the site that are also available through the agency’s YouTube channel.
Links we liked
The average cost of downtime has doubled in two years, a Splunk report found. MORE
One in 10 new domains registered in 2025 were tied to malicious activity. MORE
NIST has updated its guide to preventing and mitigating ransomware. MORE
The 2026 CISO Report uncovers a cybersecurity leadership gap. MORE
Cyber threats that could affect Ireland during its EU Presidency. MORE
Five Eyes cybersecurity agencies call for urgent action on AI risks. MORE
Anthropic is expanding its project Glasswing to more participants. MORE
The UK NCSC’s advisory on overseeing vibe coding to ensure security. MORE
Honeypot data shows how attackers are using AI in real-world intrusions. MORE
Patch the Planet is a new initiative to strengthen critical open source software. MORE
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