The UK, a world leader in digital security, ensuring one of the safest places to do business online.
Source: The gov.uk (Press Release)
Government's Digital Security by Design program aims to help the tech infrastructure of UK organizations and digital devices be more resilient to cyber-attacks. It aims to speed up the process and reduce errors and security vulnerabilities in software design that hackers could exploit. Furthermore, it can prevent hackers from remotely taking control of digital systems such as autonomous cars, personal computers or smart home security systems, and cyber-attacks and data breaches. Hence, people and online businesses are better protected.
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden announced at London Tech Week Connects that The Government will invest £10 million to develop groundbreaking cybersecurity technologies. He said that “We have a world-class cybersecurity sector, and together we are working hard to make sure the UK is the safest place to work, connect and live online.
With government support, these projects will build cutting-edge, secure technologies that will give people and businesses further confidence in our digital services and help weaken the threat of cyber attackers.”
The funding forms part of the UK Government's commitment to increase investment in research & development by 2.4 percent of GDP by 2027. The project increases the knowledge and skills around new technology and researches the opportunities for fundamental change that offers the security of computers across business and society in the future. The innovative hardware and systems solutions is a vital step in defending digital technologies in the long term.
Academic researchers from universities across the UK develop solutions to strengthen the security of digital devices and services. The leading universities and researchers aligned with this challenge. The funding will allow innovative businesses and academics to work together on digital solutions to tackle threats. Nine winners of the Digital Security by Design grant competition will share £10 million investment include the University of Southampton's HD-Sec solution.
The University of Glasgow-led AppControl will also receive a share of the fund to leverage state-of-the-art microprocessors, developed earlier in the program, to make sure vital systems used in cars, medical robots or nuclear power plants remain digitally secure.
And the University of Birmingham awarded funding for leading the digital solution CAP-TEE, which will use prototype microchips to protect systems that shield sensitive, personal data from hackers.
Grant winners will use the new funding to build on this progress and create enhanced software and applications that ensure that software code is secure and to contain hacking attempts. Organizations like banks, healthcare services, or online retailers could use highly secure software in their day-to-day systems, giving people increased confidence in digital services and reducing costly cyber attacks or data breaches for businesses.
Each team will create a working example of their solution, using the prototype chips, to showcase their new secure technology's economic and societal benefits.
UKRI's challenge director for Digital Security by Design John Goodacre said that “The Digital Security by Design program will radically update the digital computing infrastructure's security foundations that underpin the entire economy.”
The earlier phases of the initiative saw research and development of cutting-edge microprocessor technology ‘Capability Hardware.' It has safeguards built-in to make it more secure and can be used in anything from a supercomputer to a server, laptop, or smartphone. This technology will soon underpin secure digital devices and services around the world.
In June 2020, The UK Government launched the new ‘Cyber Aware' campaign that offers advice for people to protect passwords, accounts, and devices. And while doing the basics right is the best defense for homes and businesses.
According to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2020, almost half of businesses (46 percent) and more than a quarter of charities (26 percent) have reported experiencing cybersecurity breaches or attacks in the last 12 months. The report estimates the average cost of a cyber attack on a medium or large-sized business has increased to £5,220.
Source, 11 June 2020, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, National Cyber Security Centre, UK Research and Innovation, and The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP