The UK’s first Cyber Security Strategy has been launched by the government.

The UK’s first Cyber Security Strategy has been launched by the government, to help protect the country from computer hackers.
It is the first strategy of its kind, and has been announced alongside the 2009 update of the National Security Strategy.

Previously, MI5 and organisations such as the Metropolitan Police e-crime unit have been responsible for regulating IT security.

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, announced the new measures today (25 June): “Just as in the nineteenth century we had to secure the seas for our national safety and prosperity, and in the twentieth century we had to secure the air, in the twenty first century we also have to secure our position in cyber space in order to give people and businesses the confidence they need to operate safely there.

That is why today I am announcing - alongside our updated National Security Strategy - the UK’s first strategy for cyber security.”

A dedicated Office of Cyber Security will drive forward a cross-Government programme of work and a new multi-agency Cyber Security Operations Centre in Cheltenham will provide the co-ordinated protection of the UK’s critical IT systems.  

A Cyber Security Chief has also been appointed, senior civil servant Neil Thompson, who will be tasked with protecting the country against hacking of individuals, businesses, and government.

Last month, President Barack Obama said he was making it a “national security priority” to protect the US computer network from attack and that he would set up a “cyber security office” in the White House to lead the counter-attack against hackers.

Mr Brown’s plans were endorsed by the Cabinet yesterday after a presentation by Lord West of Spithead, the Security Minister. The security services have warned recently of renewed activities by Russian and Chinese intelligence in cyberspace research with the potential to interfere with communications in the UK.