UKRI will educate tech sector to defend against cyber threats

A group of people in a training session
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The UK technology sector will be trained to block cyber vulnerabilities as part of the Digital Security by Design (DSbD) programme’s new £2 million education scheme.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced that tech businesses will be able to learn about the benefits of DSbD technologies through a series of events, workshops, and hands-on experience organised by Digital Catapult.

The non-profit organisation has been awarded £2 million to fund the scheme and will use technologies prototyped by ARM’s Morello project.

The new training programme is based on year-long research into market needs, according to Digital Catapult CEO Jeremy Silver, who said that “this national programme will enable innovators to lead on solutions that are developed with digital security in mind from the start”.

"There are interesting challenges in getting this approach to security right, and we hope that this program will help address and overcome them,” he added.

IT Pro has reached out to UKRI and Digital Catapult for more information as to when the events and workshops will become available.

DSbD challenge director John Goodacre said that he is “pleased to support the DSbD Technology Access Programme to give businesses the opportunity to understand how their products and services can benefit, blocking vulnerabilities so that their operations and customers can be better protected against the growing costs and harm of a cyber attack”.

RELATED RESOURCE

The truth about cyber security training

Stop ticking boxes. Start delivering real change.

FREE DOWNLOAD

“There is a continuous escalation in cyber crime and the cyber security response. DSbD aims to stimulate a fundamental change in technology so that the digital world can be secure by design with data protected by default,” he added.

The £70 million DSbD programme was first announced in 2019, when the UK government set out ambitions for the country to become a world leader in 'designing out' cyber threats.

Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Julia Lopez said that “the need for cutting-edge secure technology has never been greater”.

“This significant development will help keep people and businesses secure online so we can build back safer from the pandemic,” she added.

The news comes six months after it was announced that the proposed ‘Security by Design’ law will now also include smartphones. The legislation was initially expected to only cover Internet of Things (IoT) devices due to the widespread lack of security controls associated with the internet-connected gadgets.

Sabina Weston

Having only graduated from City University in 2019, Sabina has already demonstrated her abilities as a keen writer and effective journalist. Currently a content writer for Drapers, Sabina spent a number of years writing for ITPro, specialising in networking and telecommunications, as well as charting the efforts of technology companies to improve their inclusion and diversity strategies, a topic close to her heart.

Sabina has also held a number of editorial roles at Harper's Bazaar, Cube Collective, and HighClouds.