National and international initiatives will help cyber crime efforts both in prevention and talent.
Speaking at the Cyber Security Summit in London, Francis Maude MP, minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, said that cyber security remains a “shared responsibility” and while this is the sort of thing that politicians say, “nothing is more true than this subject”.
He admitted that no one has all the answers and nor any Government around the world or any one business can solely support this, but no one is taking shared reponsiiblity and the internet is now too complex, and it is crucial that public and private sector come together at events.
He said: “We must not lose sight that we only have this because of the good things that happen. The digital revolution has opportunity to change things and create jobs and Britain is at the forefront of development and we should shout about it.”
Maude praised the work of the Cyber Essentials system, saying he hoped it would become the MOT of cyber security, while investments have been made in the Gov.uk website and in staff at the department for Work and Pensions and HMRC to make sure departments have the right technology and capabilities that they need, but he admitted that we “cannot do it alone, there is no silver bullet and will never be one”.
He said: “Where there is resilience, skills and collaboration is key. CERT UK was opened to offer a single body to track threats and changes and already, their services are in demand and CISP enables Government and business partners to exchange information on threats in real time in the Fusion Cell. By the end of October, nearly 700 companies will have joined the Fusion Cell. The more information which is shared, the better overall picture is and there will be better resilience.”
In regard to skills, Maude said that industry cannot keep looking in the normal places, as some of best people are self taught. He pointed at Bletchley Park, saying that they had “brain power” in common, and we need to support their modern day equivalents.
“We have got to get better at identifying people,” he said. “We have got to continue to work together; it is central to success in this field and only by working together, with business and Government both in the UK and internationally, by sharing information and intelligence consistently and in real time, will we be able to combat threats before cyber criminals have the opportunity to exploit those weaknesses.
“We need to turn evil into an opportunity for advancement and growth and society continues to benefit from the transformation.”
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