Francis Maude has launched the UK Government’s Cybersecurity Policy – £650 Million to be spent over four years for a National Cybersecurity Programme (NCSP), the establishment of a Cyber Crime Unit (crime) and a Joint Cyber Unit (military defence).
So what will these new cyber-men and cyber-women be doing?
Looking at risks in cyberspace for one thing – from terrorists, hackers, spies and criminals making the 20,000 malicious emails a month sent to government networks, as well as sharing information on and combating those risks – but also developing common standards for cybersecurity and a voluntary code of practice.
For IT security professionals it would be worth noting the potential opportunity to build a wider acceptance of their technology and to legitimately work with competitors. For the rest of us the rewards lie in the result – better protection online. Let’s hope for a successful collaboration.