Cyber-security project for UK organisations 

Government commissions Arculus to run pilot scheme to help directors of UK orgs improve preparedness and responses to cyber security risks.  

Cyber security is big news at the moment. Just last month, the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy produced a damning report on the failure to plan for and tackle this problem. Ove recent months, we’ve closely covered the ransomware attack on the British Library, as well as the attack on the Electoral Commission and Royal Mail, and showed how an attack on one IT firm affected whole chains of house sales.

Photo by FlyD

Now, the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has commissioned cyber security firm Arculus to conduct research that can inform official policy on how to improve cyber resilience more widely – protecting organisations themselves as well as the UK economy and society. 

To carry out the research, Arculus is seeking the participation of directors, non-executive directors, and senior leaders with responsibility for governing cyber security risk in of organisations of all sizes and from all sectors. That might include the specific individual or head of department in one organisation, or the business owner or charity trustees in another. 

Those taking part will then be asked to implement proposed cyber governance principles within their organisation and to provide feedback on their experience. They will also be asked to complete a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the project to assess the cyber maturity of their organisation, and to attend online sessions to discuss their feedback. 

Taking part is voluntary and confidential for all those involved. Participants do not need any specific IT knowledge or training. 

To express your interest, email the team at copresearch@dsit.gov.uk. 

The plan is for research work to run from January to early March 2024, after which a report will be published on the gov.uk website. The research with be anonymised to that individual organisations taking part are not identifiable in the report.