What are the barriers and opportunities for external investment in UK cyber sector companies? To what extent are these specific to cyber versus reflecting the UK investment landscape overall? What can be done to encourage investors to look at cyber companies based outside London and the South East?

Background

In order to ensure the UK is well protected now and in the future we need to build upon our existing knowledge of cyber security risks and the resilience of software supply chains and are working to identify which mitigations the government can leverage to ensure the UK is well protected now and in the future.

We’re also assessing the impact of these mitigations in driving enhanced security measures. A key area of research interest therefore is understanding the consequences of requiring higher levels of cybersecurity for products and digital services sold in the UK. Strengthening this evidence base will help shape and inform future policy work around the regulation of products and business requirements for cyber security.
Some technologies are critical to cyberspace. To build and sustain competitive edge in cyber-related technologies we need a coordinated, rigorous and consistent approach to identify and analyse critical areas of science and technology and prioritise national effort. CSDI is interested inbeing able to better anticipate the science and technology developments most vital to UK cyber power and in analysing thebe opportunities and risks related to those developments.

It is crucial to ensure that digital identity solutions are both secure and inclusive. The directorate seeks to gather further evidence on how best to enable more inclusive digital identity services whilst maintaining robust security measures. Digital identity solutions enable a person to prove something about themselves for the purposes of a transaction, an eligibility check or accessing services. This includes verifying a person’s age when purchasing age regulated products, when undertaking pre-employment checks or opening a bank account. The government is not mandating specific approach, but instead has committed to setting outcomes-based standards in the form of the UK digital identity & attributes trust framework. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-digital-identity-and-attributes-trust-frameworkbeta-version/uk-digital-identity-and-attributes-trust-framework-beta-version)
Organisations that adhere to these standards and agree to oversight from the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) will receive a trust mark, so that businesses and individuals can be confident that their digital identity solution is safe and secure.

Next steps

If you are keen to register your interest in working and connecting with DSIT Digital Technology and Telecoms Group and/or submitting evidence, then please complete the DSIT-ARI Evidence survey - https://dsit.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDfmK2OukVAnirs.
Please view full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology-areas-of-research-interest/dsit-areas-of-research-interest-2024

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

DSIT Areas of Research Interest 2024 GOV UK

Related UKRI funded projects


  • Research Institute in Science of Cyber Security (RISCS) Phase 2

    The Digital Economy is a key part of the strategy for UK economic growth. But as more businesses move into the digital space, they need to be able to protect their assets (such as their Intellectual Property) and process...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University College London

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on developing security solutions for modern organizations, which directly addresses the barriers and opportunities for external investment in UK cyber sector companies.

  • CSIT 2

    From the outset, CSIT's vision has been to establish a Global Innovation Hub for Cyber Security in order to promote growth in this strategically important sector of the UK economy. There have been major achievements in t...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Queen's University Belfast

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to establish a global innovation hub for cyber security, promoting growth in the UK cyber sector, directly addressing the question.

  • Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) - Phase 3

    Cyber-attacks such as those recently perpetrated on Solarwinds, Colonial Pipeline and Viasat are scaling at an alarming rate. Resilient cyber security technologies are vital to ensure that society can safely and confiden...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Queen's University Belfast

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on developing resilient cyber security technologies and secure technology supply chains, directly addressing the question about barriers and opportunities for external investment in UK cyber sector companies.

  • Cyber Security Cartographies: CySeCa

    "The growth of the internet has been the biggest social and technological change of my lifetime [...] It will have a huge role to play in supporting sustainable development in poorer countries. At the same time our ...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Royal Holloway University of London

  • CyberSecDome

    Organisations across the sectors significantly benefit from digital transformation to support evolving business models, services and customer experience. Despite the benefits of digital infrastructure adoption, there are...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY

  • Return On Cyber Security Investment (ROCSI)

    To be of business value, any investment must be selective and focus on high priority areas of the business. However, boards find it difficult to justify the cost of investment and formulate ROI arguments on cyber securit...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Queen Mary University of London

  • Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research - Newcastle University

    Following the insight that cyber security does not only come from protecting critical infrastructures, the Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security at Newcastle University (referred to as Cybercrime Centre in what fol...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Newcastle University

  • DiScriBe: Digital Security by Design Social Science Hub+

    Technological advances have done, and will do, much to improve cybersecurity. But, a technological approach is only part of the solution - achieving digital security is inherently a socio-technical endeavour. By combinin...

    Funded by: ISCF

    Lead research organisation: University of Bath

  • Centre for Secure Information Technologies - Tranche 2 Proposal

    The Internet (Cyber space) is a source of infinite knowledge, an evolving artefact unconstrained by national borders, law, regulations or languages and a community with commercial, political and criminal interests. The I...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Queen's University Belfast

  • Enhancing Cyber Resilience of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises through Cyber Security Communities of Support

    Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are a vital element of the economy, accounting for 99.9% of UK businesses, generating three fifths of employment and turnover of £2.3 trillion. They are a crucial asset req...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Nottingham