Where are the biggest risks from - developers, vendors, customers? Where could government intervention help to improve the cyber resilience of software supply chains? Explore case studies of different contexts, for example: (i) most recent significant attacks, incidents and exploited vulnerabilities and their causes and (ii) statistics on attacks, breaches and prevalence of software vulnerabilities. What are the biggest/most urgent software supply chain risks to the UK economy (that companies face)?
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:
Related UKRI funded projects
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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 and measuring the impact of security measures, aligning with the question's emphasis on cyber resilience and software supply chain risks.
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TrueDeploy
Cybercrime is estimated to cost the world economy $10 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015\. We have transitioned to a world where every business is underpinned by technology. Software remains the weake...
Funded by: ISCF
Lead research organisation: EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY
Why might this be relevant?
The project addresses the risks in software supply chains and provides a solution to improve cyber resilience.
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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
Why might this be relevant?
The project addresses the need for cyber resilience in UK businesses and the shortage of cybersecurity skills, aligning with the question's focus on software supply chain risks and government intervention.