first. Message from the director
One of the perks of my job is meeting and learning about the many innovative cybersecurity companies that are bringing products and services to the UK market. I was therefore delighted to attend Infosecurity Europe last week, where DCMS once again sponsors the UK’s most innovative Cyber SME 2022 and Innovation Zone. Congratulations to this year’s winner, networking training company TryHackMe.
Ensuring the UK remains a global tech superpower is central to the government’s agenda. To help achieve this goal, last month we published a new UK Digital Strategy, our plan to grow the economy and create more high-skilled, high-quality jobs. high salary. The strategy highlights measures to keep the UK technology sector relevant for the future, including an external assessment of the UK’s computing power and a new panel of experts to tackle digital skills gap. It will, of course, closely align with our work in cyberspace and our National Cyber Strategy 2022.
In addition, the government has just published its response to the consultation process of standards and roadmap for embedded networking in the cyber sector by 2025. This collects views on whether the Kingdom Cybersecurity Council Do you need more authority to fulfill your role as a professional body and a standards-setting body? The feedback provides analysis of key findings, particularly regarding career growth and the difficulties employers face when trying to hire cybersecurity professionals.
Finally, DCMS-sponsored Cyber Runway Growth and Scale streams are open to applications starting today. These streams are open to startups, SMEs, and businesses that scale to develop the skills, connections, and knowledge to drive growth in their businesses. Applications will close on Friday, July 29 and I strongly encourage you to apply for a truly amazing opportunity.
Erika Lewis
Director, Cybersecurity and Digital Identity
2. Open Applications for Cyber Runway: Grow and Scale
Applications for Cyber Runway Scale and Growth accelerator streams will be open today until Friday, July 29.
Powered by Plexal and funded by DCMS, Cyber Runway is the UK’s largest network accelerator. Within six months, Cyber Runway provides connectivity to industry investors and buyers, access to online content, technical support, mentorship and advice on everything from commercialization and global growth to marketing and recruitment.
Offered virtually non-existent, Cyber Runway is free to attend and Plexal is particularly keen to hear from companies from a variety of backgrounds and from all parts of the UK.
3. TryHackMe Wins Most Innovative Cyber SME Competition at Infosecurity Europe
Infosecurity Europe takes place June 21-23 at ExCel London, bringing together a wide range of businesses and industry experts from around the world.
DCMS once again hosted the Innovation Zone at the conference and sponsored the UK’s most innovative cyber SME competition. This allowed fourteen finalists to attend the event and showcase their businesses to an audience of buyers, investors, and other networking professionals.
This year’s winner was TryHackMe with its hands-on, immersive approach to cybersecurity training that impressed the judges.
4. UK Digital Strategy Launch
As part of London Technology Week in June, the government announced a new digital strategy. The strategy sets out the UK’s vision of harnessing digital transformation, driving growth and building a more inclusive, competitive and innovative digital economy. This is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the UK’s position as a science and technology superpower.
Cybersecurity is at the heart of the strategy, which recognizes that resilient businesses, products and services are fundamental to a strong and secure digital economy.
5. Network field analysis survey
DCMS commissioned Ipsos, an independent research organization, to conduct a critical survey on the field of cybersecurity. They are inviting organizations that provide cybersecurity products and services to participate. More than 100 cyber enterprises have done so. Participation will help influence policy and government support in the field of cybersecurity. Participants can participate by phone or online.
Ipsos is working with Perspective Economics and the Center for Secure Information Technology (CSIT) at Queen’s University Belfast on this important research, also endorsed by techUK and UKC3. The study will be published on GOV.UK.
Find out more, including last year’s report and Ipsos privacy notice, on the GOV.UK website.
Alternatively, you can email Ipsos at DCMScybersector@ipsosresearch.com.
6. Government responds to cyber career consultation
The government has published its response to the consultation on embedding standards and pathways into the cyber profession by 2025.
Open to individuals and organisations, the consultation asks what the government can do to embed standards and pathways into the cyber profession. The consultation considered both legislative and non-legislative interventions.
A total of 680 individuals and organizations responded. The response highlighted that the cybersecurity profession is complex and that the career path is not always clear. In addition, respondents noted that while organizations understand the growing importance of cybersecurity, it is also increasingly difficult for those who are hiring cyber professionals to know if a candidate is qualified. meet the appropriate criteria or not.
Concerns are often expressed that the UK Cybersecurity Council is at an early stage in the development of standards and regulations that will exacerbate the current shortage of experts and create barriers to entry. barriers to entry. Therefore, the government is not proposing legislation at this time.
7. SC . Award Winning Cybersecurity Training Program
The Cyber Ready program, partially funded by DCMS, was named Best Professional Training or Certification Program at the SC 2022 Europe Awards.
Cyber Ready, made possible by CompTIA, a not-for-profit association for the information technology industry and the workforce, is a free adult retraining program aimed at helping disadvantaged people. economic and social participation in the cybersecurity profession. It is designed to increase diversity in the field of cybersecurity by openly encouraging people from backgrounds that were previously underrepresented in the field. This includes women, parents, ethnic minorities and people with polyneuropathy.
A six-month program, Cyber Ready builds on the Security+ and CySA+ syllabuses, equipping participants with the knowledge, skills, and certifications to build both confidence and capacity. 85% of applicants have previously transitioned to a cybersecurity career.
8. DCMS publishes review of Information Systems & Networks Regulations
The government published a Review of Information Systems & Networks Regulations issued in 2018. The regulations lay out measures to improve the security and resilience of essential services. (such as transport, energy and water) and digital services (such as online marketplaces and search engines.)
The review shows that the regulations are largely working successfully and recommends keeping the law. The review also identified several areas for improvement.
You can read more in the Minister’s statement and view the full review here.
9. Last chance to apply: Digital Security by Design: access to technology
Today is the last chance for companies to apply for the Access to Technology by Design: Digital Security Program, which comes with £15,000 in funding.
Powered by Digital Catapult and funded by UK Research and Innovation, the Program gives tech companies access to experimentation and experimentation with system-on-chip and Morello demonstration boards. of Arm is based on CHERI, a new instruction set architecture developed by the University of Cambridge. These technologies are designed to eliminate most of the memory safety issues in C and C++, which lead to more than 70% of software vulnerabilities.
In six months, participating companies can use these technologies to uncover security holes in their own systems before they become problems and provide findings that could affect design of future computer systems.
ten. Respond to the Safely Connected Places Survey by July 15
Does your organization procure or manage a connected location or smart city project? DCMS recently launched a short UK-wide survey to investigate the growth of connected places and common approaches to cybersecurity. We want to get feedback from as many places as possible, regardless of size or stage of implementation. Your contribution will help us understand how we can best support this field. The consultation is being held by consulting firm Pye Tait and ends at 5pm on Friday, July 15.
