UK cyber defence gets boost from intelligence service

GCHQ, along with the police, are attempting to improve the country’s cyber defence systems.

This includes the sharing of threat data with regional cyber police units and a GCHQ programme to unveil previously secret information to national infrastructure  organisations.

However, leading cyber industry figures say that this is not enough for private-public sector collaboration and data sharing to be sufficiently improved.

Karen Bradley MP, speaking in London at the IA14 cyber security conference, said that the Government is developing new cyber police and fraud units within the country’s Regional Organised Crime Units network.

She added:

“We need you to share your knowledge and experience and encourage others to do the same. And we need you to share it with us so we can understand the evolving threats problems and work with you on how to protect your businesses.”

Sir Iain Lobban, head of GCHQ, launched an innovative pilot programme at the conference that will see the intelligence service sharing its secret cyber threat data within the industry. It will roll out the scheme, beginning with organisations that supply data services to Government networks.

Whether the two initiatives will make a difference to UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or not with regards to protecting their operations from cyber criminals, businesses still have a responsibility to themselves and their customers to bolster their own protection. The only way that they can do that is to place more emphasis on their IT security recruitment campaign and hire staff capable of recognising and combating any threats that they may fall foul of.