Policy paper

DCMS cyber security newsletter - January 2022

Published 31 January 2022

1. Director’s message

Happy new year and welcome to the first newsletter of 2022! This year is particularly exciting as last month the government launched our latest National Cyber Strategy. The new strategy will guide our work over the coming years. Our vision is for the UK to continue to be a leading responsible and democratic cyber power. It is built around five pillars and our work at DCMS will focus on three of these:

• Strengthening the UK Cyber Ecosystem
• Building a resilient and prosperous digital UK, and
• Taking the lead in the technologies vital to cyber power.

Over the coming months we will be promoting the new strategy, taking you through the plans and getting your feedback as we build delivery programmes.

Central to the new strategy is a ‘whole-of-nation approach’ which means we will be working with the private sector and academia to achieve our goals. In recognition of this the government will be establishing a new National Cyber Advisory Board that will bring together senior leaders from the private and third sectors to challenge, support and inform us as we build our approach.

One first step is the work that we have been doing around cyber skills. A new Royal Charter for the UK Cyber Security Council has been approved by the Queen, which will help improve cyber careers and bring the cyber workforce into line with other professional occupations like engineering. We are really proud of the teams that have been working to make this happen. Here’s to many more successful initiatives through the coming year!

Erika Lewis

Director, Cyber Security and Digital Identity

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

2. National Cyber Strategy 2022 Launch

Last month the government launched the National Cyber Strategy 2022 in Birmingham. At the event Steve Barclay MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, set out how the plan will ensure the UK remains confident, capable and resilient in this fast-moving digital world; and how we will continue to adapt, innovate and invest in order to protect and promote our interests in cyberspace.

The launch was attended by figures from across the UK’s cyber sector, including NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron, UK Cyber Council CEO Simon Hepburn and the director of GCHQ, Sir Jeremy Fleming. Following the main presentation there were panel discussions on a range of subjects, from Digital Security by Design and diversity in the cyber sector to regional development and the UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration.

3. New Year Honours 2022

The New Year Honours list is an opportunity to reward people from across the country for their outstanding contributions to society and their local communities.

This year there were three awards for people working in the cyber sector. Melanie Oldham received an OBE and John Davies, received an MBE for their contributions to business and the wider cyber ecosystem. Both are board members of the UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration. Dr Baljinder Dhanda, co-chair of the UK Cyber Security Council, also received an MBE for his work supporting the sector.

4. Sign up for Cyber Runway Regional Events

As part of Cyber Runway, the DCMS-funded accelerator for UK cyber companies, Plexal are delivering a series of regional events for cyber entrepreneurs, SMEs and start-ups. Held over two days these in-person events offer you a brilliant chance to make connections and join sessions on investment, branding, PR, diversity, pitching and more.

The events will be held in Belfast on the 26th and 27th January, Dundee on the 8th February, Glasgow on the 9th February, Cardiff on the 15th and 16th February and Sheffield on the 22nd and 23rd February. You can find out more and sign up on the Cyber Runway webpage.

5. Launch Event and Webinar: Digital Security by Design

On Tuesday 25 January, Digital Catapult are hosting an online event to introduce Digital Security by Design, a new technological approach to blocking security vulnerabilities in modern computer systems. At the event you will be able to learn more about the programme and the technology and ask a panel of experts questions about new cyber security technologies, software development approaches, and likely industry adoption. You can also discover how your organisation can access this new early-stage software and prototype hardware technology to investigate in your own R&D teams.

This event is open to all and especially those involved in longer term strategic decisions on the use of digital technology as well as those that are interested in new technical approaches to block cyber vulnerabilities.

6. Share your thoughts on cyber exports

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for International Trade are seeking to understand the barriers that UK Cyber SMEs face on entering and operating in developing foreign markets, and what measures are required to better support UK Cyber SMEs in these markets. The work is focussing particularly on Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. However, experience in similar and neighbouring countries is also of interest.

If you would like to contribute your thoughts and experiences, please fill out this short survey. It is estimated it will take about five to ten minutes to complete.