Police and fire services are inadequately safeguarded against cyber attacks due to a reliance on legacy technology and insufficient safeguards against human error, a watchdog has warned.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) reported that police and fire chiefs view obsolete systems as their single greatest IT security threat.

The watchdog also noted that employing external IT contractors poses further hazards, especially when these firms store sensitive police data.

In addition, several backup systems intended to restore operations following a cyber breach were rated as "unsatisfactory".

Having examined three police forces and three fire and rescue services in England and Wales, inspectors determined that authorities are failing to adequately minimise human mistakes that leave them vulnerable to attack.

In a new report published on Tuesday, Michelle Skeer from HMICFRS said: “Many police forces and fire and rescue services need to update their ICT systems to…