UK Cyber Security Council Officially Launches as Independent Body

The UK Cyber Security Council – a self-regulatory organization responsible for boosting professional standards and career prospects for those working in cybersecurity – has officially started work as an independent body.

The Formation Project to create the council has now been completed, meaning it has fully transitioned from the Cyber Security Alliance-led formation project.

The council will now undertake its role in representing the cybersecurity profession, driving awareness and excellence across the industry, with the ultimate aim of growing the UK’s cyber-skills base. This will involve delivering thought leadership, career tools and resources for those in the cybersecurity industry and those looking to pursue a career in the sector, as well as working with government, industry and academia to close the skills gap.

The UK Cyber Security Council was commissioned by the UK government in 2018, and last month it was confirmed it would be ready to launch as an independent entity by the end of March 2021. Earlier this month, the council’s first four trustees were announced.

The first priorities are to appoint a permanent leadership team to work alongside the Board of Trustees as well as recruit personnel to build on the work of the Formation Project in areas such as professional ethics and recognition for cybersecurity practitioners. The council has also been invited by the NCSC to participate at the UK government’s cybersecurity conference, CYBERUK, in May.

Dr Claudia Natanson, chair of the Council’s Board of Trustees, commented: “The Formation Project has put down solid foundations on which the council can build, and that is what the council is able to, and will do, from today. The next few months will be especially busy; we are now able to hire and start work on gaining traction and momentum across and beyond the profession. We’ll also be engaging with government to ensure the delivery of the standards and governance needed to ensure a strong cybersecurity profession now and in the future. The trustees assure all those involved in the council to date of our maximum efforts to take their work forward.”

Discussing the official launch, (ISC)², a non-profit association of certified cybersecurity professionals and part of the Cyber Security Alliance, called for more industry collaboration to address the cyber-skills shortage. Clar Rosso, CEO of (ISC)², said: “Our shared vision and commitment to the creation of the council, and our ongoing support for it as a founder member of the Alliance, has brought our industry together, and it is important we do not squander the opportunity for progress and innovation that cooperation creates. It is imperative, not only for the future success of the council, but for the benefit of all our members and organizations, that the sector continues to work together with the same vigor and enthusiasm to support the council in the months and years to come.”