UK must up its game to combat new form of attack

The first responsibility of government is to keep our nation safe. Traditionally this has been understood as the threat from external physical attack.

But the nature of the danger is changing – we are increasingly under threat from the growing frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks, not only from hostile states but from criminals and “hacktivists”. That is why we launched our £1.9 billion National Cyber Security Strategy last year, aimed at equipping the right people with the right skills to tackle this threat.

Ensuring we have the right skills and knowledge base is fundamental to positioning the UK as a leader in cyber security. That is why I am proud to announce the University of Edinburgh as the first academic institution in Scotland to be officially recognised by the UK government as an academic centre of excellence for cyber security research.

Joining 13 other universities and working directly with GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre, Edinburgh will be at the forefront of the UK’S drive to fight the growing threat of cyber attacks.