UK private sector companies collaborate with NCSC to fight cybercrime

The NCSC is part of a GBP 1.9 billion (USD 2.4 billion) program to boost Britains cyber defences, and forms part of the intelligence and security organization, GCHQ, the government communications headquarters. Currently, it is investigating Britains biggest cyber heist – GBP 2.5 million stolen from Tesco Bank.

The initiative is called “NCSC Industry 100” and started in October 2016. NCSC is moving into a new operations centre in Victoria, central London and will look to embed people from industry to identify threats, vulnerabilities, and develop advice to combat cyber-attacks.

NCSC representatives said for Reuters that Britain had been the target of 188 cyber-attacks in the last three months and warned a major attack was likely in the future. Furthermore, the NCSC currently expects the proposed secondment program - which will embed 100 private sector staff by the end of financial year 2017/18 - to be funded by industry.

Still, private sector collaboration with the NCSC is already taking place, with aerospace major Lockheed Martin announcing it would back a work-study program targeted at students entering college, the publication added.