About

What is a WARP?

A WARP (Warning, Advice and Reporting Point) is a community-based service where members can receive and share up-to-date advice on information security threats, incidents and solutions.

WARPs for the Public Sector

A WARP is set up to provide a service to members of a particular community, usually of between 20 and 100 members (in order to preserve a personal community feel). It is run by a WARP operator who uses a website, email, telephone, SMS, and occasional meetings (where possible) to offer a personalised service of information security warnings and advice to the members. The operator will:

• Filter relevant information and deliver it to the community;
• Facilitate the sharing of advice and best practice within the members of that community.
• Help build trust within the community, thereby encouraging members to report incidents to each other;
• Anonymise these reports, and where relevant, share them with other WARPs.

The creation of WARPs in Public Sector communities, where people work together and share information on threats, incidents and solutions, can address many of these problems in a cost effective manner. WARPs are also being promoted by the UK Government’s Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI).

Guidance for WARPs on Incident Reporting

Critical incidents should be reported to GovCertUK for attention as well as the local WARP operator. All other incidents should be communicated to GovCertUK via the local WARP operator. This not only ensures that the operator has awareness of the activity, but also ensures that there is a single point of contact for GovCertUK to liaise.