Tackling cyber crime is a top priority, the Home Office minister Karen Bradley told the recent IA14 conference on information assurance, run by GCHQ.
She ended her speech by saying: “We are committed in our Serious and Organised Crime Strategy to ensure that the UK is one of the most secure places in the world to do business in cyberspace. But we need your help.”
Briefly, she is the minister responsible for Serious and Organised Crime and heads those responsible for work on cyber security in the Home Office. For the speech in full visit the Home Office website: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/karen-bradley-speech-on-uk-cyber-security.
She mentioned the launch of the Cyber Essentials scheme, featured in the July print issue of Professional Security Magazine. She described Cyber Essentials as ‘an industry-led organisational standard for cyber security, which gives a clear baseline to aim for in addressing cyber security risks to you and is designed to help combat cyber threats to SMEs in particular’.
She said: “As Francis Maude has said, the Cyber Essentials scheme introduces good basic cyber security practices for businesses of any size, and in any sector. It applies to academia, charities, private and the public sector. We want to see all organisations adopt the requirements. They are simple steps that can make a considerable and important reduction to cyber vulnerability.”
For more about Cyber Essentials, visit https://www.cyberstreetwise.com.
Ciaran Martin, Director General for Government and Industry Cyber Security, GCHQ,described the twin track direction of travel that GCHQ is taking: “We want to make it easier and easier for the majority to manage their own cyber risk while we focus our attention on working innovatively with partners in the highest risk areas.”
Visit http://www.gchq.gov.uk/press_and_media/speeches/Pages/IA14-Ciaran-Martin-opening-remarks.aspx
Sir Iain Lobban, Director GCHQ, on the second day of the conference, confirmed GCHQ’s involvement, as one of a number of bodies, in the disruption of the GameOverZeus malware, in an operation recently announced by the National Crime Agency.
And Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: “Cyber security presents both a challenge and an opportunity. That’s why we are bringing together government and industry to debate current threats and work on solutions and opportunities. As part of our long-term economic plan for the country, this Government is determined to make the UK one of the safest places to do business in cyberspace.
“There are opportunities for business and government from cyber – it enables innovation and enterprise and also supports jobs and greater prosperity. We need to pull together, in the same direction to make us stronger and more aware, leaving us better placed to tackle the threats that cyber presents.”
Comment
On Maude’s words, Tony Caine, VP and GM for APJ and EMEA, HP Enterprise Security, said: “HP agrees with the UK government that cyber security is crucially important to businesses and organisations – and as a result, to the British economy. Protecting critical data is essential to ensuring competition. In recent years the threat posed by the adversary has grown considerably and we need to be able to respond appropriately. HP has long supported the notion of collaboration across public and private sectors and firmly believes that information sharing will help companies stay ahead of a fast moving, agile, resourceful opponent with boundless patience. In isolation, organizations struggle to stay ahead of this new breed of threat, placing themselves in constant risk of financial, competitive and reputation losses.
“As with most security challenges today, technical solutions are only part of the puzzle and as such we also support increased investment in educating cyber security practitioners of the future, along with employees. Cyber security is not just a protective, preventative collection of actions, but rather, when implemented correctly can also become a true business enabler.”
