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NHS Digital has entered a new deal with Microsoft that supports health and care organisations in protecting their IT infrastructure against cyber threats.

Microsoft's Enterprise Threat Detection Service allows NHS Digital's Data Security Centre to provide targeted alerts to organisations that enable it.

The alerts use Microsoft's combined cyber security expertise to provide organisations with detection of issues, down to individual computers and other devices. They provide a full description of the problem and expert remediation advice.

The contract for the service was agreed following a successful pilot with NHS Digital and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

The service has already been deployed on over 30,000 machines and has the abilty to cover all devices within health and care settings in England, such as hospital trusts and GP practices.

Dan Taylor, Director of Security at NHS Digital, said: "This deal will further bolster protection against cyber security issues in the NHS.

"It is our role to alert organisations to known cyber security threats and advise them of appropriate steps to minimise risks. This marks a step change in our capability to provide high quality, targeted alerts to allow organisations to counter these threats and ensure patients' needs continue to be met."

NHS Digital provides a range of cyber security services for the health and care system, including a service to share threat intelligence and remediation advice, on-site data security assessments for NHS organisations and specialist support for organisations affected by cyber security incidents.

Notes to editors

1. NHS Digital is the national information and technology partner of the health and care system. Our team of information analysis, technology and project management experts create, deliver and manage the crucial digital systems, services, products and standards upon which health and care professionals depend. During the 2016/17 financial year, NHS Digital published 292 statistical reports. Our vision is to harness the power of information and technology to make health and care better.

2. Enterprise Threat Detection (ETD) is a Microsoft-managed service that leverages multiple information sources to provide cyber threat reporting and alerts.

3. The step change in existing capability is when end organisations make Group Policy changes in their Active Directory to allow Windows Error Reporting telemetry to be sent to ETD. This allows alerts to be provided specific to an organisation with details of the machines infected, together with remediation advice.

4. For media enquiries please contact media@nhsdigital.nhs.net or telephone 0300 30 33 888.