Her Majesty The Queen opens National Cyber Security Centre
Her Majesty The Queen has officially opened the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in London; a designated cyber security hub that will work across all sectors and industries to provide greater protection from the growing threat of cyber attack.
The Queen was joined by the Chancellor, the Home Secretary, and the Defence Secretary, underscoring the extent to which all aspects of UK life may be affected by a serious cyber incident, and demonstrating the government’s intention to broaden cyber protection beyond critical national infrastructure.
The need for a dedicated national cyber security centre was first identified in 2015’s SDSR, and the NCSC started its work in October 2016 ahead of the launch of the new five-year National Cyber Security Strategy, which will see £1.9bn invested in strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience.
UK industry will also provide support for the NCSC, with 100 private sector staff secondments as part of an ‘Industry 100’ scheme launched by the Chancellor.
Paul Everitt, CEO of ADS Group, said: “The formal opening of the National Cyber Security Centre by The Queen is a major endorsement of the role of the UK’s security industry plays in protecting all types of business and infrastructure.
“Working in partnership through this Centre, enables government and industry to benefit from access to the latest cyber security capabilities, providing a more informed overview of the threat landscape, and the ability to anticipate – and respond to – attacks with greater resilience and agility.”
The UK’s security and resilience industry is internationally recognised as one of the world’s most innovative; last year it turned over £9.1bn and supported more than 121,000 high value jobs, making an important contribution to national prosperity.