Cyber experts join charity skills pool

Wednesday 07 August 2019

Three of JT’s senior security team have joined an initiative that will see them share their skills with local charities, and are calling on their cybersecurity colleagues to do the same.

The Jersey Charitable Skills Pool (JCSP) was set up earlier this year in response to an increasing need for charities, like businesses, to protect their systems and information against cyber attacks and potential data breaches.

As part of the JCSP, Jersey companies are asked to donate a few hours a year of their cyber experts, which charities and other not-for-profit organisations can apply to use.

JT’s Group Security Officer Marcel Le Claire; Security Product Manager David Salisbury and Security Consultant John Bridge will be donating 30 hours of professional advice to local charities on a range of issues including, cyber security policy, procedures, risk assessment and testing. 

Pictured: The cyber team will be donating 30 hours of their time.

“Charities are just as vulnerable as larger companies but very often don’t have the resources, time or finances to make the right investment to safeguard their systems and the data they hold," Mr Le Claire said.

"It can be difficult to know where to turn and hopefully by pooling our skills in this way from people across the industry, it will mean that our local charities are able to get some free expert advice that they so desperately need. We’re truly delighted to be in a position to be able to offer something back to our island.” 

JCSP chairman Dave Cartwright said he was delighted with the latest additions to the pool. “Jersey has more than its fair share of world-class expertise in cybersecurity and communications, and we’re really encouraged by the calibre of the people who have made a time commitment to the JCSP and our community," he added.

“Incidentally, the time commitment doesn’t have to be onerous. Any time that someone with the right skill set and knowledge can provide will make a real difference to a charity or NFP that would otherwise be struggling to find the right advice on a limited budget. The more experts and companies that commit just a few hours per year, the more resources the charities and other not-for-profits that support our community will have to draw on.”