Cyber-space now seen as 'fifth dimension of warfare'

The cyber-security challenge is not a national one - it is a global one, as countries around the world recognise the benefits of working together to tackle criminals, who make use of the worldwide web. As the report we recently commissioned found, just under half of experts now think cyber-security is as important as border security; so there is clearly a demand for governments to be more involved in addressing threats which cross borders.

In the UK specifically, the government has assigned a four year budget of £650m to cyber-security. But, despite this, we are still perceived as lagging behind some countries like Israel, Sweden and Finland in developing the appropriate defences while many other countries lag behind us. As a result, the challenge still remains in asking countries to work together and trust each other in order to protect their public infrastructure and informational assets. If the international community has the ability to align on some specific action points and develops a joint response to cyber-crime, this will become a much more realistic deliverable. The only question remaining is the best way to work with the wider world, without disrupting the services that UK citizens expect to receive on a daily basis.

The use of cross-border services has significantly increased as a result of new technologies like cloud computing and, as a result, the cyber world has become increasingly integrated. From a public services perspective and, specifically, considering the UK's "digital by default" strategy, that means it is now more important than ever for the government to have faith in these systems. Wherever they are located, systems must be safe as well as functional as it is likely that the information they hold is sensitive and confidential. The information flow within and between governments and private sector partners mean that there are a number of touch points where data is at risk. With no single international body holding a cyber-security mandate; national and regional organisations need to improve their cooperation and information sharing. This is difficult due to the lack of trust between one government and another but is key to guarantying internet security.

With no chain stronger than its weakest link and information often following freely across borders, countries with an absence of cyber-focused legislation can provide a haven for criminals. At a macro level, the best way to help with this is to improve the economic situation as internet crime is closely linked to unemployment rates. At a micro level, however, financial incentives can go a long way to improving practices within individual government offices. In the UK, the pressure on project leaders to meet deadlines on time and in budget is a real focus and providing the budget for doing things right can be the way to ensuring no corners are cut.
See more at: http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/1485/cyber-space-now-seen-as-fifth-dimension-of-warfare