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London: The British Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is playing a key role in mitigating the risk of cyber-attacks against the UK.

The risk of cyber-attack was identified as one of the top risks to the UK in the National Security Strategy. In order to help tackle this, Dstl has been working with several government departments to develop best practice advice for protecting UK critical national infrastructure and cutting edge cyber capabilities for military operations.

Cyber security is vital to the nation and defence. Dstl is proud of its record in helping to defend our critical national infrastructure and also in developing new and novel capabilities to preserve the freedom of our armed forces to operate on a digital battlefield. Our adversaries present a real threat and it is therefore important that we too have the option to achieve military effects through and in cyberspace. – Professor Penelope Endersby, Head of Dstl’s Cyber and Information Systems Division

As part of this work, Dstl is increasing its investment into cyber capabilities with the opening of a new facility to evaluate and assess cyber threats. The Cyber Evaluation and Assessment Laboratory will help streamline cyber assessments to better understand where possible vulnerabilities in cyber defence capabilities could lie, and make recommendations on how to offer better protection.

Dstl is already innovating in this area. Last year it was announced that APMG International is working with Dstl and Ploughshare Innovations Ltd, Dstl’s technology transfer company, to deliver a new Cyber Defence Capability Assessment Tool (CDCAT®). Originally developed by scientists at Dstl, CDCAT® is a way for businesses to assess their own cyber defence preparedness, understand where any gaps in defence capability may exist and what mitigations can be applied.