What are the economic incentives that drive cyber security?

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

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on developing security solutions and metrics to measure the impact of security measures, aligning with the question about economic incentives driving cyber security.

  • 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

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project explores how security managers select control combinations and visualizations for risk management, partially addressing the question about economic incentives driving cyber security.

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

    The Newcastle Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research pursues the research vision "Protecting Society's Fabric." Following the conviction that cyber security does not arise from protecting crit...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on the human dimensions of cyber security and strengthening research in the field, partially addressing the question about economic incentives driving cyber security.

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Control and Trust as Moderating Mechanisms in addressing Vulnerability for the Design of Business and Economic Models (ConTriVE)

    Personal data holds great potential to benefit commerce and society, but, at the institutional level, concerns are rising over the risks associated with data access, ownership, privacy and confidentiality. The main purpo...

    Funded by: EPSRC

  • Cyber-R: Securing Businesses through Generative AI-based Adaptive Cyber Resilience Service

    According to the UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024, UK businesses faced approximately 7.78 million cybercrimes over the past year, with phishing attacks accounting for 84% of these incidents. Additionally, 50% of bu...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON

  • 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

  • Strengthening the Local Business Community Resilience to Cyber Incidents and Reducing the Regional Cyber Skills Gap.

    The [NEBRC][0] is a not for profit private company limited by guarantee. We are a unique partnership between police, academia and corporate business that exists to help businesses mitigate business cyber risks. Our miss...

    Funded by: Innovate UK