UK cybersecurity – everything you need to know

Cybersecurity awareness month is coming up in October, and the UK government has been busy in the lead up. When we look at the data from the Government’s new Cyber security skills in the UK labour market report, it’s easy to understand the need for action:

• Around half (44%) of UK businesses have skills gaps in basic technical areas.
• Incident management skills gaps have increased from 27% in 2020 to 48% in 2024.
• There is falling demand for cyber security professionals, with core cyber job postings decreasing by 32% between 2020 and 2023.

So, what has the UK government been up to and what changes could be coming along for the cybersecurity sector?

Cyber talks with ‘like-minded’ nations

Just last week, the UK hosted three days of talks to form a global coalition against multiplying threats. The talks took place hot off the heels of key events – including the CrowdStrike outage, and attempted attacks on NHS and London transport networks.

In attendance were leading nations including the US, EU member states, Canada and Japan. The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) were also present.

The talks focused on how global cyber security workforces can be strengthened, from agreeing ways of boosting cyber skills to developing new professional standards within the industry.

The cyber scheme

In terms of outcomes from the talks, the UK will commission a new report, with its key areas of focus agreed by the attendees – this is expected to be published by the end of 2024. The purpose of this report will be advancing collaboration at an international level to boost cyber skills and tackle cybercrime.

The UK government is also launching a new scheme to provide support across regions of England and Northern Ireland. A total of £1.3 million is being made available for organisations, with the goal of funding initiatives to directly address the cyber skills gaps in certain areas. Applications for the scheme are open, and organisations – including universities, businesses and councils – can receive up to £150,000 in grants.

The next generation of cyber talent

Thinking ahead, the UK government is also launching a competition – the goal of which is to identify the best young cyber talent in the UK. On top of this, the government is also working with CREST International to launch the CREST Cyber Accelerated Maturity Programme (CAMP). This programme will provide mentorship to cybersecurity professionals, helping them develop their capabilities and therefore help to tackle the stark skills gaps the UK is facing.

The good news is that the UK has already made significant improvements in training new cyber security talent, with the number of cyber graduates having increased by 34%. It’s through initiatives like CAMP that the government aims to continue this momentum, bolstering cyber talent in the UK and internationally to face off critical threats.

As threats continue to multiple, defending against cybercrime is going to become increasingly front of mind for governments worldwide. This is just a snapshot of government changes – the cybersecurity space is always evolving, morphing, reshaping. With so many moving parts, how do cybersecurity firms create a PR strategy that maximises impact? If you work in the cyber space and you want to get your voice out there, get in touch.