Following news that the US and UK have issued a joint warning about sustained attacks to critical national infrastructure and internet service providers by Russian government agencies, ex-GCHQ security researcher turned entrepreneur, James Hadley, CEO at Immersive Labs commented below.
James Hadley, CEO at Immersive Labs:
“The UK is reaching a crucial point where cyber-attacks are constant. However, it still struggles to provide a consistent level of capabilities to repeal attacks on a diverse supply chain, from the bottom upwards.
“For instance, the NCSC is one of the best in its field – but, of course, not everyone can be so elite. So, to some extent, the UK workforce is going to have to become that extra bit more cyber-aware to secure the entire supply chain. Indeed, there is no point having such high security for the crown jewels if the backdoor is left unlocked.
“This is why we have to get better at identifying those with potential for developing cyber security skills. Companies need to reach from within using advanced training platforms to discover who these people are, while universities are unearthing students with a knack for security through initiatives like the Digital Cyber Academy. Military veterans are also demonstrating that they make ideal candidates for cyber security roles as they are already trained to operate in highly secure and secretive environments.
“Not-for-profit, TechVets, offers veterans a route into the cyber security sector so organisations can tap into a whole new talent pool.
“By breaking with convention and recognising cyber talent for what it is – which may not always be the formal route – we can start building this cyber support system that will ultimately strengthen the country as a whole.”
