New National Cyber Advisory Board meets to protect UK’s interests

Co-chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, and Chief Information Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, Sharon Barber, the Board, which met yesterday (Tuesday, 8 November), ensures that senior leaders from the private and third sectors challenge, support and inform the UK’s strategic approach to cyber.

This includes making the UK a more secure and resilient nation better prepared for evolving threats and risks and using cyber capabilities to protect the public against crime, fraud and hostile state threats.

The meeting comes in the wake of new official figures which reveal that in the 12 months to March 2022 there have been 2.7m cyber-related frauds to individuals and businesses. The UK is now the third most targeted nation for cyber attacks, behind the USA and Ukraine.

The Board champions a ‘whole of society’ approach to building the UK’s cyber future established as part of the UK’s National Cyber Strategy – which is backed by £2.6bn of funding and aims to make the UK a leading and democratic cyber power by 2030.

Chair of the Board and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, said:

Protecting and promoting the UK’s interests in cyberspace cannot be achieved in isolation, it must be a shared endeavour between government and all parts of the economy and society. We have seen how cyber attacks are increasing, putting the UK and our businesses and services on the frontline of global threats.

That’s why this new National Cyber Advisory Board is so important, bringing leaders from across industry, the third sector and academia to share information and expertise on how to build and protect our digital economy and services.

Co-chair and Chief Information Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, Sharon Barber, commented:

The digital world is ever changing and businesses and the Government must continue to adapt, innovate and invest in order to protect ourselves, the public, and our data – that’s why we need everyone around the table through the Board working together to help keep individuals and businesses safe online.

Only if we ensure everyone plays their part in the UK’s cyber future will we prosper from the opportunities that the online world brings.

The new Board will work closely with the Government’s National Cyber Security Centre, which is already running campaigns and training for business, Government and consumers to build cyber resilience.

This month the NCSC and the City of London Police will be launching a new ‘Cyber Aware’ campaign to help people reduce the risk of cyber fraud in the run-up to Christmas by helping shoppers to reduce their vulnerability to fraud.

The National Cyber Advisory Board will meet every quarter, with the next meeting expected to take place in the first quarter of 2023.