CYBERUK 2022: Welcome from Lindy Cameron

Good morning everybody and Croeso to CYBERUK 2022.  

It’s great to have all of you here, in person, at our annual conference for the first time since 2019.

And, for those joining us online, you are equally welcome to what promises to be two days packed with brilliant speakers, insightful debate, inspiring presentations, and creative technical masterclasses. 

We are delighted to be here in Wales - a country that punches well above its weight in terms of cyber security.

Whether it is schoolgirls from Newport taking part in the NCSC’s CyberFirst competition, or experienced cyber practitioners in Cardiff working at a globally successful tech firm, everyone involved in the thriving cyber security ecosystem here in Wales should be rightly proud of their achievements.

This pipeline of talent is vital to our collective efforts to create a truly diverse profession that will help us tackle future cyber challenges.

And we will see this ecosystem grow even further, following the Welsh Government’s announcement yesterday of a new £9.5 million Cyber Innovation Hub to help Wales become a global leader in the sector. First Minister Mark Drakeford told us yesterday how co-funding this with help transform Cardiff Capital Region into one of the UK’s leading cyber clusters by 2030, with the potential to create jobs and transform lives.

Because if we have learned one thing over the past few years, it’s that cyber security isn’t a niche interest. It is central to our way of life. Whether it be shopping online without being scammed, protecting intellectual property or national utilities keeping the lights on… we all rely on cyber security.  

So, in many ways – no pressure - everyone relies on us. On the cyber security community.  

And we in NCSC take that responsibility particularly seriously. NCSC was launched in 2017 as the ‘team captain’ for UK cyber security. As part of GCHQ we have access to the most sophisticated capabilities, helping us in our mission to make the UK the safest place to live and do business online.

But we can’t do that alone – every organisation in the UK has its role to play in sharing knowledge, addressing systemic vulnerabilities and providing leadership on key national cyber security issues.

And what we are particularly proud of is the strength of that community, the partnerships between government and the private sector, that has made the UK so good at this.

On that note, veterans of CYBERUK will be familiar with the buzz that this conference generates.

That is partly due to the brilliant speakers – and we have some truly great people lined up for you.

But in fact, the buzz is primarily due to all of you here today. I really do mean everyone.

I have already seen and felt your enthusiasm for myself when I walked into the hall earlier this morning. The sessions haven’t even started and already people are eager to start new conversations and share ideas.

The next two days are the perfect opportunity to build on the relationships we already have, and to forge new alliances and bring new people in and on, helping our community to grow and mature, and become more diverse and inclusive.

This is crucial if we are to provide the nation at large with the support it needs to develop the skills and technologies necessary to remain a respected and democratic cyber power.

This emphasis on collaboration is natural for us. It’s exhibited on a daily basis by the cyber community.

It is why we are all here today. Because we are a community that cares about the security and prosperity of the UK, our friends, and our allies.

It’s the ‘whole of society’ approach, as set out in the National Cyber Strategy, published at the end of last year. It’s the key theme of this year’s CyberUK. We believe in integrating all the levers of government, bringing together industry and academia in partnership, drawing on expertise from all parts of the UK and beyond, and engaging citizens in our collective effort.

Each one of us in this room, and watching across the globe, can play a part. So please do use the next two days to help forge the links to help us do this, and help us keep the UK the safest place to live and work online.

Before I hand you over to our keynote speaker, I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who has contributed to making this event possible.

To our exhibitors and sponsors, particularly Palo Alto for last night’s leaders’ dinner, Secure Works for the reception at Tiny Rebel, and to our key sponsors - AWS and BT. Thank you for your enduring support for CYBERUK. We are extremely grateful.

Similarly, to all of you, our delegates. Whether you are from the UK or abroad, from the public or private sector. The next two days are all about you.

Finally, I would like to add a personal vote of thanks to my own team in the NCSC and to everyone from the International Conference Centre here in Newport. Thank you all for your hard work putting on what promises to be a wonderful conference. 

And on that note, I am delighted to introduce my boss…everybody has one… Sir Jeremy Fleming, Director of GCHQ, to share his views on the current state of global affairs and what it could mean for our strategic approach to future cyber security challenges.