New NCSC chief concerned about China’s ambitions
China’s technological might will change the world in a more fundamental way than Russia, the new chief of NCSC (National Cybersecurity Centre) Lindy Cameron has warned.
The two countries are among four nations of particular concern to the government agency, alongside North Korea and Iran.
In her first speech as chief executive of the NCSC, Lindy Cameron also paid tribute to the bold decision to create a public-facing cybersecurity organisation within GCHQ.
The virtual speech to an audience at Queen’s University, Belfast, saw Lindy Cameron outline why she thinks all of the UK has a role to play in making the UK the safest place to live and do business online.
During the speech, she suggested that basic cyber hygiene is as important a life skill as knowing how to wire a plug – and that digital literacy is as non-negotiable in boardrooms as financial literacy.
“The National Cyber Security Centre – launched five years ago – is now a firmly embedded part of the UK cyber security landscape, and here to stay.” Lindy Cameron, NCSC CEO.
Read the full speech here: https://t.co/G6rXjAu4DV pic.twitter.com/96mEkZLwRa
— NCSC UK (@NCSC) March 26, 2021
Lindy Cameron said:
“The cybersecurity landscape we see now in the UK reflects huge progress and relative strength – but it is not a position we can be complacent about.
“Cybersecurity is still not taken as seriously as it should be, and simply is not embedded in UK boardrooms.
“The pace of change is no excuse – in boardrooms, digital literacy is as non-negotiable as financial or legal literacy. Our CEOs should be as close to their CISO as their Finance Director and General Counsel.
“And we want to help them to develop this knowledge, as we’re all too aware that cyber skills are not yet fundamental to our education – even though these are life skills like wiring a plug or changing a tyre as well as skills for the future digital economy.”
The NCSC’s CEO also cited examples like recent ransomware cases and the SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange compromises as showing the real danger the UK faces – and how she envisions the NCSC helping to further increase the UK’s cyber resilience.
She also set out her vision of how the NCSC can help to further increase the UK’s cyber resilience and usher in a new era of technological ambition, agility and internationalism to make the UK the safest place to live and do business online.
