Britain's Emerging Cyber-Strategy

David J Lonsdale

doi:10.1080/03071847.2016.1232880

Abstract

In recent years, cyber-power has attracted a great deal of attention in government strategy and security reviews. This has been matched by regular increases in budget and the establishment of new organisations to co-ordinate UK activity in cyberspace. The result is the emergence of UK cyber-strategy. However, David J Lonsdale argues that at present UK cyber-strategy is not comprehensive, nor does it cohesively bring together the different elements of cyber-power to effectively serve UK policy objectives. Here, he identifies the components of the UK’s emerging cyber-strategy and assesses the UK’s approach against a comprehensive cyber-strategy framework. The latter includes seven elements: defence; cyber-espionage; information manipulation; widespread disruptive attacks; raids; joint operations; and deterrence.

Highlights

In recent years, cyber power has attracted a great deal of attention in government strategy and security reviews
This article has two goals: first, to identify the components of the UK’s emerging cyberstrategy; and second, to assess the UK’s approach against a comprehensive cyberstrategy framework. The latter includes seven elements: defence; cyber-espionage; information manipulation; widespread disruptive attacks; raids; joint operations; and deterrence. It was clear from Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (2010) that Britain regarded cyber-security as a critical issue
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is to be established, which will bring together cyber-security expertise and act as ‘the authoritative voice on information security in the UK’. 3 In the words of Ciaran Martin, CEO of the NCSC, the new centre will ‘bring together the capabilities already developed by CESG – the Information Security arm of GCHQ – the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT)-UK and the Centre for Cyber Assessment’. 4

Summary

Introduction

Cyber power has attracted a great deal of attention in government strategy and security reviews. The latter includes seven elements: defence; cyber-espionage; information manipulation; widespread disruptive attacks; raids; joint operations; and deterrence.

Results

Conclusion