Government invests £500,000 into IT security training

The government has warned UK firms about an increase in cyber crime, encouraging businesses to do all they can to guard themselves against hackers, as up to 90% of major firms have been victims of cyber intrusions within the last 12 months.

Digital economy minister Ed Vaizey spoke at the Financial Times Cyber Security Europe Summit, where he highlighted how crucial it is for businesses to secure their assets in order to avoid becoming next in line for a cyber breach.

He said:

“Good cyber security underpins the entire digital economy – we need it to keep our businesses, citizens and public services safe. The UK is a world leader in the use of digital technologies but we also need to be a world leader in cyber security.”

Vaizey, in line with the government’s bid to improve cyber skills, is investing £500,000 to assist colleges and universities in establishing cyber security courses.

The Higher Education Academy will deliver the training initiative, and academic institutions will be able to apply for a maximum of £80,000, which the institution will need to match.

The scheme hopes to result in better trained staff to fill cyber security jobs and provide businesses with improved protection. Business owners, however, will need to be more aware of just how important a role cyber security plays in their firm if they too are to benefit from the scheme. If they have stayed abreast of the recent news regarding high-profile breaches, they will be well informed.