How can we build agility into software policy to ensure policy remains dynamic?

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

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 and providing metrics to measure the impact of security measures.

  • 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

    Lead research organisation: Newcastle University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project complements core security research with a focus on protecting stakeholders and has a strong methodology for cyber security research.

  • 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

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project combines social science and STEM disciplines to address digital security challenges and provides leadership in digital security by design.

  • 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

  • SPRITE+: The Security, Privacy, Identity, and Trust Engagement NetworkPlus

    SPRITE+ is a NetworkPlus that will deliver a step change in engagement between people involved in research, practice, and policy relevant to trust, identity, privacy, and security (TIPS) with a focus on digital contexts....

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Manchester

  • 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

  • System Security Modeller

    "With online banking and shopping being ever more critical to our daily lives and health data increasingly going online, protecting the security of our IT systems has never been more important. We have a cyber-secu...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

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

    Northumbria University applies knowledge from multiple disciplines, into digital security through the work of the Cyber Security Research Group (CSRG) - a cross university group that combines (i) technical research on bi...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Northumbria University

  • 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

  • PETRAS 2

    Rapidly developing digital technologies, together with social and business trends, are providing huge opportunities for innovation in product and service markets, and also in government processes. Technology developments...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: University College London

Similar ARIs from other organisations