December 2025

CyberScotland updates

News and updates from CyberScotland and our partner network

CyberScotland Week 2026 officially launched

CyberScotland Week 2026 will take place 23-28 February 2026. From organisations to community groups and individuals, by hosting a CyberScotland Week event, you’re helping to drive the conversation about cyber resilience.

No event is too small – you could host a panel session, workshop, webinar, coffee morning or drop-in session, and play your part in helping everyone in Scotland stay safe online. Register your CyberScotland Week event here.

Early bird registration now open for CYBERUK

Early bird registration is now open for CYBERUK 2026, which takes place in Glasgow on 21-23 April 2026. This is the 10^th year of the UK government’s flagship cyber security event.

Join over 2,500 cyber security leaders and technical professionals to explore this year’s theme ‘The next decade: Accelerating our cyber defence.’

Cyber Action Toolkit

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has seen great take-up on its Cyber Action Toolkit, designed to help organisations assess and improve their cyber security posture. The toolkit provides practical guidance, checklists and resources to manage cyber risks, strengthen defences, and respond effectively to emerging threats. It is aimed at public bodies, businesses, third sector organisations and educational institutions, supporting ongoing cyber learning and workforce development initiatives.
The Cyber Action Toolkit is a free resource and easy to use, even if you are new to cyber security.

The Cyber and Fraud Hub & Police Scotland launch new cryptocurrency guide

The Cyber and Fraud Hub has teamed up with Police Scotland and Coinbase to create A Guide to Avoiding Cryptocurrency Scams, which provides clear, accessible advice to help the public and organisations identify and avoid cryptocurrency fraud. The organisations have teamed up to crack down on the rise of cryptocurrency fraud.

ScotlandIS seeks industry voices for 2026 report

ScotlandIS is calling for responses to its 18th annual industry survey. The survey will contribute to the organisation’s 2026 report which acts as a temperature gauge for Scotland’s technology industry. It provides a year-on-year comparison of the sector’s health, highlighting potential opportunities and challenges that technology businesses expect to face in the year ahead. The survey closes on 14 February 2026.

Age Scotland launches The Big Survey 2026

If you are over the age of 50 and live in Scotland, share your views and experiences with Age Scotland in The Big Survey. The survey explores a wide range of issues facing people over the age of 50, including health and wellbeing, access to vital services, using technology, scams, experiences of ageism in the workplace, the home and communities, and plans for the future. The survey closes on 31 December 2025.

Entries open for Scottish Cyber Awards 2026

Entries are open for the Scottish Cyber Awards 2026, celebrating the individuals and organisations shaping the future of cybersecurity across Scotland.

Now entering its eighth year, the event brings together the country’s most innovative thinkers, practitioners and organisations for an evening of recognition and connection.

This year’s ceremony will take place on Thursday 26th March 2026 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). Hosted by DIGIT, the awards continue to highlight the breadth of talent driving cybersecurity progress in Scotland and beyond.

Nominations open for Digital Tech Awards 2026

Applications are now open for the ScotlandIS Digital Technology Awards. The awards showcase excellence within the industry, rewarding the innovation, expertise and ambition of businesses large and small, and the people that drive them. Find out the categories and nominate here.

Programme announced for The Gathering 2026

The programme for SCVO’s The Gathering 2026 is live and booking is now open exclusively to SCVO members. This year’s programme is the biggest yet, with a number of longer and more in-depth sessions and more networking, and dedicated cyber security sessions.

Bookings now open for Digital Youth Work Conference 2026

Bookings are now open for YouthLink Scotland’s Digital Youth Work Conference 2026, which is set to be a day of insights, discussion and networking, with new resources, keynote speakers, workshops and plenty of interactivity. Meet the people supporting young people’s digital lives delivering and thinking about Digital Youth Work in Scotland and further afield.

Young Scot announces new CEO

Young Scot has announced that John Loughton will take over as its new Chief Executive Officer in early 2026.

John is a leading social entrepreneur, leadership consultant and motivational speaker, passionate about empowering young people. He brings deep expertise in third-sector leadership, developing innovative education programmes and championing inclusion through youth empowerment, and has spoken on global stages including the UN General Assembly, TED Talks, and the White House.

In other news…

Cyber security news from Scotland and the rest of the UK

Almost 1 billion attempts to access malicious sites blocked by NCSC tool

Almost one billion early-stage cyber-attacks and attempts to access scam websites have been blocked by a new government cyber service in less than a year, according to new figures from the NCSC and BT. 

The Share and Defend service – developed by experts at the NCSC – works to disrupt online crime by sharing near real-time data on known fraudulent and malicious websites with internet service providers, which can then prevent customers from clicking through.

Western Isles Council still seeing effects of cyber-attack two years on

Some council services in the Western Isles are still dealing with backlogs caused by a “sophisticated” cyber attack two years ago, according to the Accounts Commission. Hackers installed malicious software when they gained access to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s systems in November 2023.

The Commission said staff at the authority went “above and beyond” to act against the attack, but added that services were still recovering.

More than a third of SMEs see cyber as biggest threat

More than a third (36%) of UK businesses now see cyber as their most significant insurable risk, placing it ahead of all other identified threats, Aviva’s latest research into small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has revealed. Only 20% of micro businesses with fewer than 10 employees ranking cyber as their biggest risk, compared with more than 40% across all other SME size bands.

Skills shortage tops cyber professional concerns in 2025

Skills shortages are the top concern among cybersecurity professionals, surpassing concerns about headcount this year, according to ISC2’s 2025 Cybersecurity Workforce Study.

16,029 cyber workers were surveyed on their leading concerns, top lessons learned, and challenges they anticipate for the next year.

The CyberScotland Bulletin is a monthly roundup of news and updates on cyber security and resilience with a particular focus on Scotland. Feel free to forward it to anyone in your network who might benefit from it.

Please ensure you only take information from trusted sources. The NCSC has a useful glossary of cyber terms you may wish to reference while you read the bulletin.

For more regular updates follow CyberScotland on X or LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky.

Remember, to report an email phishing attempt, forward your email to the National Cyber Security Centre: report@phishing.gov.uk

If you are a victim of cyber crime, please report it to Police Scotland by calling 101.

Updates