NCSC Review

Following the National Cyber Security Centre annual review, please find expert comment below from Johnny Mercer, MP for Plymouth Moor View, member of the Defence Select Committee and non-executive director at cyber security training experts Crucial Academy.

Crucial Academy was set up by a former Royal Marine to offer free, accredited cyber security courses to UK armed forces veterans.

Johnny Mercer, MP for Plymouth Moor View, member of the Defence Select Committee and non-executive director at cyber security training experts Crucial Academy.

Johnny Mercer, MP at Plymouth Moor View:

“The idea that the government is repelling these attacks on a daily basis is not news to me, I must be honest. We know the scale of the threat. We have seen Russian interference in American elections and it’s pretty clear that there is some sort of hand in Russia that’s tried to interfere in the Brexit referendum. These things are huge.

“I think that the government is behind on a lot of issues, but not cyber. I know that the security minister takes it seriously and the we are applying the full apparatus of the state in trying to counter this. The problem is that it’s an overwhelming threat that we are catching up with and inevitably there will be instances where threats get through and problems are caused. That’s where places like Crucial Academy have a real role to play, because the government can’t do everything and, actually, we need credible allies in this fight.

“I think that the UK has got a very clear MO at the moment and that is to use the disinfectant of sunlight on these state-sponsored attacks on UK sovereignty. They are absolutely right to do that.

“For businesses – and I think they do understand this – the bottom line is that the government can’t do everything for them. They have a duty to protect themselves and their customers’ information. Traditionally, businesses got their security from the state and they are used to operating in secure countries that are very safe to live and work in. The cyber world is not like that. Businesses need to get up to speed in this area.

“There is a huge skills gap in cyber that has been identified not only in the UK but in Washington as well, and we need to fill it if we’re going to have all the tools in our armoury in order to protect against a threat. The threat is evolving just so quickly. The concept of state-sponsored cyber terrorism is extraordinary but it’s very real. There’s no point whinging about that, we need to make sure that we are fully equipped to prepare to defend ourselves and our people against it.”