GCHQ Assembles Cyber Attack Response Squadron

The information assurance arm of GCHQ, CESG, today announced the Cyber Incident Response scheme, which will recruit private companies to offer advice on cyber attacks.

The first batch of recruits includes BAE Systems Detica, Cassidian, Context Information Security and Mandiant, who will all now offer assistance to those who have suffered a “cyber security incident” and provide “response services”, CESG said. The Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) is also helping coordinate the initiative.

GCHQ betting on private sector assistance

“The growing cyber threat makes it inevitable that some attacks will get through either where basic security is not implemented, or when an organisation is targeted by a highly capable attacker,” said Chloe Smith, minister for cyber security, who recently talked up the government’s willingness to involve private sector more in national security in an exclusive interview with TechWeekEurope.

“Together, GCHQ, CPNI, the incident response industry, and victims of cyber attack – can improve the cyber security of the UK; that is good for security, good for business and good for the UK’s prosperity.”

Alex Church, technical director at Context, said the Cyber Incident Response scheme marked “a very positive move by CESG/CPNI”.

“Organisations notified of attacks or those interested in getting advice about detection and mitigation will now have a clear pointer to specialist help with the level of trust and quality-assurance delivered by the scheme,” Church added.

GCHQ and the Cabinet Office have been talking up the need for greater collaboration across public and private sectors in recent months, stemming back to the creation of the first UK Cyber Security Strategy, released in November 2011.

Earlier this year, the government launched the ‘10 Steps to Cyber Security’ document, designed to assist organisations in preparing for attacks. Government guidance on security can be found on the Department for Business Innovation and Skills website here.

Are you a security pro? Try our quiz!

Thomas Brewster

Tom Brewster is TechWeek Europe's Security Correspondent. He has also been named BT Information Security Journalist of the Year in 2012 and 2013.

Recent Posts

X’s Community Notes Fails To Stem US Election Misinformation – Report

Hate speech non-profit that defeated Elon Musk's lawsuit, warns X's Community Notes is failing to…

1 day ago

Google Fined More Than World’s GDP By Russia

Good luck. Russia demands Google pay a fine worth more than the world's total GDP,…

1 day ago

Spotify, Paramount Sign Up To Use Google Cloud ARM Chips

Google Cloud signs up Spotify, Paramount Global as early customers of its first ARM-based cloud…

2 days ago

Meta Warns Of Accelerating AI Infrastructure Costs

Facebook parent Meta warns of 'significant acceleration' in expenditures on AI infrastructure as revenue, profits…

2 days ago

AI Helps Boost Microsoft Cloud Revenues By 33 Percent

Microsoft says Azure cloud revenues up 33 percent for September quarter as capital expenditures surge…

2 days ago