The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced that the Cadets CyberFirst programme will receive £1 million of annual funding from the Government.
The scheme aims to provide 2000 cadets a year with cyber security training around the current risks the UK is facing and how to mitigate them.
A new generation of ‘cyber cadets’
Ahead of Cyber Security Month, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that the GCHQ National Cyber Security Centre will equip new cadets with the appropriate skills and expertise to become future leaders in cyber security.
The Government is doing everything it can to prevent another high-profile attack like WannaCry. At the start of 2018, the head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran Martin, stated that a major cyber attack on the UK is a case of “when, not if”.
Announcing the new investment, Mr Williamson noted that:
“Cyber threats to the UK are constantly evolving and this exciting initiative to train and develop ‘cyber cadets’ – the first of its kind in a NATO state – reaffirms our leading role in tackling security threats head-on.”
Cadets attending the training will be able to choose from a range of introductory courses covering the tools, knowledge and skills required to protect small networks, to more advanced courses that will cover international cyber security issues.
Cyber Security Month
The UK Government’s investment into cyber security is nothing new as it has been encouraging defence suppliers to protect the defence supply chain with Cyber Essentials since 2016.
Cyber Essentials certification offers protection against 80% of common threats, is Government-backed and mandatory for MOD suppliers.
If you are not yet Cyber Essentials certified, we are currently offering suppliers £50 off the cost of certification until 31 October 2018, with the code cybermonth50.
