Businesses across the UK are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences as the government takes action to protect the economy and essential services from fast-evolving cyber threats.
Ministers are urging organisations across the economy to boost their resilience by signing up to a Cyber Resilience Pledge launching later this year.
The pledge sets out three concrete actions organisations can take to improve their cyber security.
These actions cover making cyber security a board-level responsibility; signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre’s free early warning service; and requiring cyber essentials certification across their supply chains – the UK government-backed cyber security standard that blocks the most common cyber threats.
The government says these steps help businesses reduce risk, protect customers and build confidence across the wider economy – and is backing this shift with £90m.
Ministers have warned that the threats businesses face in cyber space are changing, and the way they respond must change with it.
A new generation of AI models is lowering the barrier for cyber criminals, enabling them to find vulnerabilities and carry out attacks at a speed and scale that would have been impossible even a year ago.
“The UK has a world‑class cyber sector that is creating skilled jobs and protecting our economy – and the government is doing more by investing in its own defences, legislating to require more of essential services and setting clear national standards.” says cyber security minister Baroness Lloyd.
“As threats evolve, businesses of all sizes need to step up and take practical action now. The Cyber Resilience Pledge is a clear call for companies to strengthen their defences, protect their customers and play their part in keeping the UK secure and competitive.”
Recent government data found that 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year.
