Policy paper

DSIT cyber security newsletter - February 2025

Published 5 March 2025

1. Director’s message

Welcome to the first DSIT cyber security newsletter of 2025.
 
This is set to be an important year for cyber security in the UK. You may have seen that the Home Office is consulting on proposals to reduce the threat posed by malicious ‘ransomware’ software – please do submit your views.  And in DSIT, we are continuing to progress our Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The Bill will strengthen our cyber defences and ensure more essential digital services than ever before are protected within our critical national infrastructure.
 
The rapid advance of artificial intelligence continues to make headlines, presenting both a challenge to existing cyber security protection and also new opportunities for the sector. Last week we published our AI Cyber Security Code of Practice setting out how we can address the risks to AI systems. The Code will form the basis of a new ETSI global standard.
 
Encouraging more young people to consider a career in cyber security remains a key focus of my team. Last month 200 of the best students in the country competed in a ‘capture the flag’ competition at the UK Cyber Team final. Although sadly I was unable to be there myself, I heard it was a great day of intense competition. Now the top 30 competitors will officially join the Team and prepare to enter international competitions. Alongside this the next round of the UK Cyber Explorers Cup, a competition for students using the platform, is now open for applications.
 
Finally, our CyberASAP Demo Day is taking place later this month. The event is a celebration of the work of this year’s cohort of academics who will showcase their research in front of an expert panel. The event is open to members of the cyber security community and a great way to network and learn more about CyberASAP – so please register if you are interested.

Rod Latham  
Director, Cyber Security and Digital Identity

2. New AI Cyber Security Code of Practice published 

DSIT has published its AI Cyber Security Code of Practice to address the cyber security risks to AI systems. The Code of Practice sets out baseline cyber security principles to help secure AI systems and the organisations which develop and deploy them.

Alongside this the response to a Call for Views on the subject was also published. The response highlighted that 80% supported DSIT’s approach to the Code of Practice, which would be used as the basis for a new ETSI global standard.
 
DSIT has also published an Implementation Guide which includes examples of AI use cases and detailed actions to support organisations with adhering to the Code.

3. Government responds to cyber governance feedback

DSIT has published its response to the Call for Views on a proposed Cyber Governance Code of Practice. The Code of Practice sets out how company boards and senior leaders can build resilience to a wide range of cyber risks across their organisation. The Code, which has been co-designed with technical experts from the NCSC and governance experts across industry, focuses on the actions leaders should take to govern cyber risks effectively.
 
DSIT conducted extensive engagement with industry and academia, reaching over 1,700 stakeholders across 20 events. DSIT received 160 formal responses to the call for views which were analysed and will inform our next steps.  In response to the feedback received, DSIT has committed to publishing the code of practice in early 2025.

4. New research highlights how larger UK organisations are tackling the cyber threat

DSIT has published the results from wave four of the Cyber Security Longitudinal Survey, the government’s study tracking the cyber security behaviours of organisations.
 
The survey found that a majority of medium and large organisations (79% of businesses and also 79% of charities) have experienced some form of cyber incident in the past 12 months. However, industry response to the threat is improving, with more organisations using cyber security accreditations and almost half of large businesses saying they increased their cyber security budgets over the past year.
 
Please visit gov.uk to see the full results of the survey.

5. Plan for Change delivers local cyber security programmes

More than 30 projects located across England and Northern Ireland are receiving funding to deliver targeted support to boost the UK’s cyber resilience. The work is part of the government’s Plan for Change to grow the economy and ensure the UK’s digital security. The projects range from developing new ways to better protect businesses and families from potential cyber attacks, to providing training to increase the nation’s cyber skills.
 
The new projects will receive a share of £1.9 million in UK government and private funding to bolster the UK’s cyber defences and make sure the country has the cyber workforce it needs. The schemes are located in Northern Ireland, the Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, the South West, North East and North West of England.

6. The Cyber Explorers Cup returns to inspire future cyber experts   

The Cyber Explorers Cup is back, launching its second round after a successful pilot in 2024 to help young people build their tech skills. Cyber Explorers is a free, interactive learning platform available to secondary schools nationwide, designed to equip 11–14-year-olds with essential digital skills for future careers in cyber security. So far, nearly 100,000 students from 3,000 schools have registered.

The Cyber Explorers Cup provides UK students an opportunity to take on ‘capture the flag’ style challenges, competing in teams to solve cyber puzzles and expand their security knowledge. To qualify, students must complete at least three missions on the Cyber Explorers platform. Teachers can register their students here by 21 March 2025, with the competition taking place between 31 March and 4 April 2025. 

Competition winners from each nation will receive tech vouchers worth £2,000 for their school to purchase IT equipment plus educational technology prizes from our cyber security industry partners. Help us inspire the next generation of cyber professionals - spread the word and encourage schools to take part!

7. UK Cyber Team final showcases talented young people

Over 200 young people from across the UK took part in a day of intense and exciting competition at the final of the UK Cyber Team competition in Birmingham in January. Participants demonstrated incredible skills and enthusiasm showcasing the amazing tech skills among young people in the UK.  
 
The top 30 finalists will be selected to join the UK Cyber Team ready to start training in preparation for international cyber competitions where they will compete against other top national cyber teams.

8. Enrolment open for the CyberEPQ qualification

The CyberEPQ is the UK’s first and only Extended Project Qualification in Cyber Security. This unique Cyber Security qualification has been developed by a consortium of education and cyber security partners to help provide a starting point for anyone considering a career in the sector to go to university, start an apprenticeship or change career.
 
The next cohort is now open for enrolment. This cohort runs from March 2025 with final submission in November 2025 and results released in August 2026. 
 
Alongside this, teachers who enrol students on the CyberEPQ to receive five free places on the Headstart programme. The modules are identical to those on the CyberEPQ and offer a fantastic opportunity for you and your colleagues to deepen your own understanding of cyber security.

9. Give your views on Cyber Exchange

Cyber Exchange is the DSIT and techUK platform to help organisations discover innovative cyber companies, support investment and explore key opportunities across the UK cyber sector.
 
We are conducting a user survey to find out how people use the website and how it can be improved. Please respond to the survey here. It will only take two to three minutes to complete and one respondent will win a free ticket to the techUK Cyber Dinner 2025 in October. The survey closes on 14 February.
 
If you have previously completed the survey please email michelle.reynolds@techuk.org to be entered into the prize draw.