CPA Bulletin

16 CPA Bulletin > November 2023 www.cpa.uk.net PLANT THEFT PLANT THEFT ICO and NCSC agreement on GDPR breaches The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) - which has the power to impose fines against companies which have suffered a General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) breach (or even a cyber-attack) - may now incur lower fines. This new ICO policy is because of the ICO and the NCSC reaching an understanding, whereby companies which are proactive in protecting their IT systems - through a range of NCSC’s tools and guidance documents including the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) - may be treated more favourably by the ICO. Further information on the guidance documents and tools available to businesses from the NCSC are available on the website at www.ncsc.gov.uk In a related matter, the NCSC, and the National Crime Agency (the UK equivalent of the FBI) - have published a joint paper on ransomware. The paper highlights that the biggest cyber threat to UK businesses is ransomware - where a company’s IT system is taken over by Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs) until a ransom is paid by the company to have it back. Both the NCSC and NCA have warned that companies who pay ransomware demands, may likely face penalties issued by the ICO for the original GDPR breach/cyber-attack. • 11th August - Banner Plant was contacted by a ‘Steve’ who claimed to be from Firbeck Construction and wanted to hire plant for Lindrick Golf Course. • 23rd August - Thomas Plant Hire was contacted by a fraudster who claimed to work for CG Construction, and MJN Construction. • 31st August - Ridgway Rentals was contacted by ‘James’ who claimed to work for Eric Wright Civils and wanted to hire plant for a site in Manchester. • 11th September - GT Access had a Skyjack SJ16 stolen from a new build site in Woodbridge, near Guildford. • 12th September - Elvington Plant Hire had a Thwaites 1-tonne dumper stolen from a site in Melbourne, York. • 14th September - JS Plant Hire had a Doosan 8-tonne digger stolen from a housing site in Linton, Cambridgeshire. Fairfax Plant was also contacted by fraudsters looking to hire plant. • 15th September - Collins Earthworks had a 10,000-litre fuel bowser (full) stolen from a site in Balsall Common, Solihull. • 26th September - Mechplant NW reported an attempted fraud by a ‘Matthew Jones’ who claimed to work for Rowan Ashworth for a site in Droylsden, Greater Manchester. • 27th September – The specialist police unit NCATT (National Construction and Agricultural Theft Team), circulated a warning of attempted frauds by a ‘Matthew’ and a ‘Philip Vickers’ claiming to work for Mayo Civil and Winvic Group using the same mobile number as reported by Mechplant NW on the previous day. • 13th October - NCATT reported the names of two fraudsters, Gillian Russell and Tristan Abbott who were attempting to fraudulently hire plant in the York area. Thefts and Frauds Reported by Members All notifications of theft and fraud are being forwarded to the Opal ACE and NCATT units.