National Cyber Force

Last updated

National Cyber Force (NCF)
Agency overview
Agency executive
  • Air Vice-Marshal Tim Neal-Hopes, Commander
Parent agencyPart of Ministry of Defence, DSTL, Secret Intelligence Service, and GCHQ
Website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-cyber-force

The National Cyber Force (NCF) is intended to consolidate offensive cyber activity in the United Kingdom, by enabling an offensive capability to combat security threats, hostile states, terror groups, extremism, hackers, disinformation and election interference. [1] [2]

Contents

Organisation

The specialist unit is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and GCHQ, one of the British intelligence agencies. [3] [4]

Around £76m will be invested in the NCF in its first year. [2]

It will operate alongside the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which primarily concentrates on defensive cyber activities to protect government departments, strategic infrastructure and industry. [2]

Its first commander was named in The Economist as James Babbage, [5] who took the role after a long career at GCHQ. [6] In 2023 Babbage was succeeded by Air Vice-Marshal Tim Neal-Hopes, [7] formerly director Cyber, Intelligence and Information Integration at the United Kingdom's Strategic Command.

History

Plans for the unit were reported in the media in September 2018. [8] [9] [10] [11] It has since been reported to have been delayed because of "distractions caused by uncertainties over Brexit and frequent changes of ministers and secretaries of state in the MoD" [2] and turf wars between the MOD and GCHQ. [1]

An April 2021 report produced by academics from King's College London and the Offensive Cyber Working Group has produced a set of recommendations for the NCF, with an aim to increase public debate on offensive cyber in the UK. [12]

In October 2021 it was announced that the NCF will be based in the village of Samlesbury, [13] as part of a new 'cyber corridor'. [14]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Sengupta, Kim (25 September 2020). "British military facing modern-day 'blitz' with 60 cyber attacks a day". Independent. Retrieved 27 January 2023– via www.independent.co.uk.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sengupta, Kim (10 January 2020). "UK is about to launch force to hit hostile countries with cyberattacks" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  3. ↑ Kerbaj, Richard. "Female spy to net terrorists as head of 'cyber‑SAS'". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 27 February 2020– via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Conservatives propose national cyber crime force". ComputerWeekly.com. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  5. ↑ "Britain's Cyber warfare chief reveals his identity". The Economist . Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Martin, Alexander (19 June 2023). "UK's chief hacker to take over National Crime Agency's economic and organized crime directorate". The Record. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "New Commander of the National Cyber Force appointed". 16 October 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "Britain steps up cyber offensive with new £250m unit to take on Russia and terrorists". The Telegraph. 21 September 2018. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 27 February 2020– via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  9. ↑ Fisher, Lucy. "Britain launches £250m cyber‑force to wage war on terrorists". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 27 February 2020– via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  10. ↑ "UK To Develop 2,000-Strong Offensive Cyber Force". British Forces Broadcasting Service . Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "Britain to create 2,000-strong cyber force to tackle Russia threat". Sky News. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  12. ↑ Devanny, Joe; Dwyer, Andrew; Ertan, Amy; Stevens, Tim (2021). "The National Cyber Force that Britain Needs?" (PDF). Project Report. King's College London, London. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Permanent location of National Cyber Force campus announced". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "International Policy Review Puts Cyber at the centre of the UK's Security". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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