NCSC develops a new tool to block scam websites instantly

The UK’s cybersecurity agency, the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre), is developing a new capability in collaboration with industry partners, which could help UK citizens block access to scam websites instantly.

The new tool will provide real-time threat data to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United Kingdom, allowing them to immediately block access to known fraudulent sites. The tool will have a data-sharing capability that will use real-time threat data gathered from across the industry to identify and flag scam websites for internet providers to block their access at scale.

This will greatly improve the country’s ability to defend citizens from cybercriminals. More defenders, including browser and managed service providers, will be invited to join in the future. The NCSC, part of GCHQ, said it would add to its existing Takedown Services, which removed more than 2.7 million scams from the internet last year.

Speaking at the NCSC’s annual CYBERUK conference, Sarah Lyons, the body’s deputy director for economy and society, said that cybercriminals continuously seek to deploy devious methods to trick us into sharing personal or financial details, and it’s vital we stay ahead of them.

Sarah added that this historic partnership with internet service providers allows scams to be blocked before they reach our screens, bolstering the UK’s protection against online harm.

The NCSC’s website reporting tool allows anyone to send URLs to be analyzed if they come across a suspicious website. If the site is malicious, the host will be notified, and the site will be removed. Suspicious emails should be sent to report@phishing.gov.uk, and suspicious texts should be texted to 7726, where they will be analyzed by the NCSC and removed if found to be fraudulent.