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Unlock Enhanced Cyber Resilience: The Benefits of Joining a Warning, Advice and Reporting Point (WARP)
Are you looking to strengthen your organisation's cyber security posture and enhance your understanding of the evolving threat landscape?
A Warning, Advice and Reporting Point (WARP) offers a unique and valuable opportunity to achieve these goals through a trusted community of practice. This brochure outlines the key benefits of becoming part of a WARP. Any UK Public Sector organisation can subscribe.
Contact us: contact@nlawarp.net
You can either subscribe directly or through a G-Cloud procurement: https://www.applytosupply.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/g-cloud/services/300532299049706
What is a WARP?
A WARP is a Warning, Advice and Reporting Point, a trusted community of practice focused on sharing information and improving cyber resilience. Importantly, WARPs are not CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Teams) and do not provide blue light emergency response, recovery, or forensics capabilities. They are also distinct from ISACs (Information Sharing and Analysis Centres), although similar in concept, as ISACs can be commercial and offer additional services. The UK WARPs are federated through CTAG.
The regional WARP Directory is at: https://socitm.net/about/warps/
We are part of the CTAG network: https://www.ctag.gov.uk
Filtered Warnings & Advisory Service
WARPs provide a curated electronic push service of alerts and advisories. These "FWAs" are colour-coded for urgency and importance:
RED - ALERT
Requires immediate action.
AMBER - ADVISORY
Requires your attention.
BLUE - NEWS
General and informative updates.
GREEN - ANNOUNCEMENT
Typically less frequent, potentially sponsored information.
This filtered approach ensures you receive relevant and timely information without being overwhelmed.
Trusted Sharing Environment
Advice Brokering via Trusted Sharing
WARPs facilitate a private and curated Slack feed where members can seek advice, share insights, and learn from the experiences of others. This provides a valuable channel for addressing specific concerns and understanding best practices. The emphasis on trusted sharing ensures a safe space for open discussion.
Discuss Sensitive Issues Confidently
Trust is the cornerstone of a WARP. It provides a trusted safe space for organisations to discuss potentially sensitive issues that could cause reputational damage or harm if mishandled. The maturity and effectiveness of a WARP are directly linked to the level of trust among its members and the WARP Operator.
Traffic Light Protocol (TLP)
WARPs utilise the Traffic Light Protocol to enable information sharing within the trusted environment. This provides a clear and simple way to understand the handling restrictions of shared information, which is particularly useful when dealing with a wider audience than traditional government classifications.
RED
Information stays within the meeting and is for immediate use only.
AMBER
Can be shared within your organisation on a "need to know" basis.
GREEN
OK to share broadly but not for public posting or social media.
WHITE
Open for publication.
Community Benefits and Expertise
Community of Practice
WARPs foster a community of practice, bringing together professionals from various organisations within a region or devolved administration. This allows for valuable networking, discussion, training, and the sharing of experiences in a collaborative environment. Regular virtual, physical & Hybrid meetings provide opportunities for updates, discussions, and learning.
Subject Matter Expertise
Each WARP is facilitated by a WARP Operator who acts as a Subject Matter Expert and leads the community. Many WARP Operators have extensive experience in this field.
Member-Led Initiatives
WARPs sometimes undertake member-led task and finish projects, allowing for collaborative efforts to address specific challenges or develop shared resources.
Focus Areas and Resources
WARPs discuss a wide range of pertinent topics, including but not limited to:
  • Cyber Security
  • Cyber Resilience
  • Cyber Incident Response
  • CAF
  • Defend as One
  • PSN (Public Services Network)
  • Cyber Exercises
  • AI (Assurance / Security/ Incidents)
  • Information Security
  • Information Assurance
  • Information Governance
  • Information Management
  • Data Protection
  • Supply Chain Issues
Additional Benefits:
Representation at Key Industry Groups
WARPs are represented at the UK CTAG (Cyber Technical Advisory Group), ensuring that the concerns and insights of the WARP community are heard at a national level.
Access to Curated Content and Archives
WARPs maintain curated content on private collaboration spaces and often have extensive archives of past warnings and advisories. For example, some WARPs boast a 20-year archive, offering valuable historical context.
Intelligence-Led Insights
Some WARPs produce Threat Reports compiled by intelligence analysts, providing deeper insights into current and emerging threats.
History and How to Join
A History Rooted in National Security
WARPs have a strong heritage, originating in the MOD (Ministry of Defence) and evolving through initiatives like NISCC (National Infrastructure Security Coordination Centre), which later became CPNI (Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure). While CPNI (now NPSA) focuses on personnel and physical security, their cyber functions transitioned to CertUK and subsequently to NCSC. This history underscores the long-standing recognition of the importance of information sharing in enhancing security. WARPs are run as a not-for-profit initiative.
The WARP Network
WARPs generally serve an English Region or one of the Devolved Administrations (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). Each English region and DA now has a WARP. The NLAWARP was established as an umbrella organisation to run the WARPs, although over time, some regional WARPs have become independent. WARPs operate without direct government funding, relying on subscriptions or voluntary effort.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to enhance your organisation's cyber resilience and become part of a trusted and informed community. contact@nlawarp.net for more information.