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FOREWORD
The UK is one of the world’s leading digital nations. Much of our prosperity now depends on our ability to secure our technology, data and networks from the many threats we face.
Yet cyber attacks are growing more frequent, sophisticated and damaging when they succeed. So we are taking decisive action to protect both our economy and the privacy of UK citizens.
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Our National Cyber Security Strategy sets out our plan to make Britain confident, capable and resilient in a fast-moving digital world.
Over the lifetime of this five-year strategy, we will invest £1.9 billion in defending our systems and infrastructure, deterring our adversaries, and developing a wholesociety capability – from the biggest companies to the individual citizen.
From the most basic cyber hygiene, to the most sophisticated deterrence, we need a comprehensive response.
We will focus on raising the cost of mounting an attack against anyone in the UK, both through stronger defences and better cyber skills. This is no longer just an issue for the IT department but for the whole workforce. Cyber skills need to reach into every profession. The new National Cyber Security Centre will provide a hub of world-class, user-friendly expertise for businesses and individuals, as well as rapid response to major incidents.
Government has a clear leadership role, but we will also foster a wider commercial ecosystem, recognising where industry can innovate faster than us. This includes a drive to get the best young minds into cyber security.
The cyber threat impacts the whole of our society, so we want to make very clear that everyone has a part to play in our national response. It’s why this strategy is an unprecedented exercise in transparency. We can no longer afford to have this discussion behind closed doors.
Ultimately, this is a threat that cannot be completely eliminated. Digital technology works because it is open, and that openness brings with it risk. What we can do is reduce the threat to a level that ensures we remain at the vanguard of the digital revolution. This strategy sets out how.
