NCSC Annual Review 2021

The NCSC continued to further the UK’s cyber security and interests around the world through providing expertise and analysis to define international technical standards; the norms and laws that govern cyberspace; and shaping partners’ systems, models, and capabilities, to increase their cyber resilience.

In an area of vital importance to UK cyber security and future technologies, the NCSC initiated the creation of the first International Standards Group (ISG) focusing on Securing Artificial Intelligence. In the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), which this year published GR SAI 002 on Data Supply Chain Security, the work on which this was based was led by NCSC. By collaborating with international partners, the NCSC was able to focus efforts on the vital topic of the provenance and integrity of data supply chains for Artificial Intelligence- based systems.

In an example of how the NCSC can deploy its technical expertise to shape UK international policy, the NCSC’s cyber security expertise helped to inform and support UK negotiations led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in the UN Government Group of Experts on State Behaviour in Cyberspace (GGE) and the UN Open Ended Working Group (OEWG), in which the UK played a leading role. Both groups agreed consensus reports amongst states; the GGE report included important text on attribution, and a landmark reference to international humanitarian law. The NCSC’s expertise contributed to a compendium of national positions on how international law applies to state behaviour in cyberspace, which formed an annex to the GGE report.

The NCSC sponsored the UK-Gulf Women in Cyber Fellowship, which concluded its first cohort in 2021. Despite limitations in travel, work was completed with partners to sponsor the growth of a network of senior and up- and-coming women working in cyber security, in what is traditionally a male dominated profession and region. Amongst their successes, the Fellows conducted a survey and authored a report to identify regional skills shortages and provide national level recommendations and designed and built the first Arabic language cyber awareness resource portal in the Gulf, with advice aimed at making children safer online. The network is a powerful tool to build cyber resilience for key allies, highlight and promote senior women in cyber security, and promote UK values of equality and inclusivity in cyberspace.

And as more opportunities to travel opened, the NCSC’s CEO was able to engage international counterparts in person, giving an opportunity to project thought leadership and presence overseas through speeches. In her address at Tel Aviv Cyber Week, Ms Cameron emphasised the importance of collective action to tackle global cyber challenges, including ransomware, supply chain security, global cyber governance, and a resurgent technological China.

The NCSC’s technical depth and expertise is simply outstanding. Our shared cryptologic history makes our close collaboration easy. I’m continuously impressed by how many outcomes are achieved by the NCSC in their cyber security mission, benefiting the UK and its allies.

Rob Joyce, Director for Cybersecurity at the U.S. National Security Agency

Similarly, in an address to the Institute of International and European Affairs, the CEO outlined the mutual threats faced by the UK and its international partners, and she reiterated the need for allies to continue to work towards a vision for the future, one of shared responsible behaviour in cyberspace.

We are proud to call the NCSC a trusted partner and ally. No single entity can solve cyber security issues on their own and we value our close working relationship. We continue to work together to protect critical infrastructure sectors from cyber threats through regular exchanges. We also continue to share knowledge and threat information on important topics including cloud security, encryption, and cryptology.

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security