WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
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Please choose from the links below to view individual sections of interest:
Internet of Threats? |
By 2020, over 12bn consumer devices will be internet connected. From your smart meter to your smart TV, these IoT devices can bring a range of benefits to consumers like greater user experience & lower costs. Concerns, however, have been raised about the poor security inherent within some of the connected consumer devices currently on the market and the lack of incentives for manufacturers to build security into the devices from the outset. Some of this is down to the lack of awareness amongst consumers of security weaknesses when buying devices, whilst others have argued that the multitude of standards & guidelines out there have made things too complicated for those creating IoT products & services. That is why we at techUK were so keen to support the DCMS in its ‘Secure by Design’ review, since it sought to address these problems by:
The publication of the CoP is a watershed moment for the UK IoT and cyber security community. Developed in consultation with experts in government, industry & academia, the CoP outlines 13 guidelines that manufacturers of consumer IoT should implement into their product’s design to keep consumers safe & secure, ranging from the removal of default passwords to keeping software updated. What has been refreshing about the development of the CoP has been the enthusiasm from a range of stakeholders to get this right. From manufacturers & retailers to consumer groups and trade bodies, there has been agreement that we have to move the burden of responsibility for ensuring the security of the devices away from the consumer to one where strong cyber security is built into consumer IoT products by design and consumers can easily set up & manage a device in a secure manner. The Government has also sought to make it easier for manufacturers to implement the Code by publishing a mapping document which links the 13 guidelines to existing standards, recommendations and guidance on IoT security & privacy from around the world, representing one of the largest collections of guidance on IoT security and privacy to date. |
Researched Links: |
techUK: Secure by Design Code of Practice: Why it is important CO: Leading tech companies support code to strengthen security of internet-connected devices Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster speech at the NCSC: 16 October 2018 techUK: 'Secure by Design’, a necessary ‘step in the right direction' Connected home device ownership up but consumers remain sceptical More leadership required to drive IoT say PETRAS and RAEng 5G project announced on first anniversary of Midlands Engine Strategy Making or selling Internet of Things (IoT) devices? 6 reasons you need to be thinking about DP New measures to boost cyber security in millions of internet-connected devices Ministers urged to ease trade barriers for products that incorporate encryption Realising the benefits of technology |
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Winter is often the loneliest time |
Loneliness is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, Theresa May said last week as she launched the first cross-Government strategy to tackle it. The PM confirmed all GPs in England will be able to refer patients experiencing loneliness to community activities & voluntary services by 2023. Three quarters of GPs surveyed have said they are seeing between 1 and 5 people a day suffering with loneliness, which is linked to a range of damaging health impacts, like heart disease, strokes and Alzheimer’s disease. Around 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month. The practice known as ‘social prescribing’ will allow GPs to direct patients to community workers offering tailored support to help people improve their health & wellbeing, instead of defaulting to medicine. Up to a fifth of all UK adults feel lonely most or all of the time and with evidence showing loneliness can be as bad for health as obesity or smoking, the PM has also announced the first ever ‘Employer Pledge’ to tackle loneliness in the workplace. |
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DCMS: PM launches Government’s first loneliness strategy LGA responds to government's loneliness strategy A connected society: A strategy for tackling loneliness Mayor opens community café to tackle loneliness Helping older people to live independently “Loneliness and isolation in rural Wales is a ticking time bomb” – Huw Irranca-Davies New fund tackling loneliness opens to applications £20m investment to help tackle loneliness LGA responds to Royal College of GPs call to tackle loneliness “Tackling loneliness and isolation in Wales is a national priority” – Huw Irranca-Davies Looking for solutions to a growing problem |
SME Supplier Locator update... | ||
UK Government and public sector spend with SME’s is continually on the increase and by 2020, it is the stated intent of Cabinet Office that £1 of every £3 spent on government contracts goes to SME’s. Against this ambitious backdrop, the WiredGov Supplier Locator service has been developed specifically to embrace the SME Agenda and provide the ideal platform for SME’s to promote their services, solutions, accreditation and success stories directly to our ever increasing audience across all government and public sector verticals and Tier 1 suppliers. Recent arrivals to the SME Supplier Locator service include:
Click here to find out more. |
Not everything has to be made of plastic & end up in the Ocean |
Moving to a greener, cleaner economy which helps protect the environment is a key part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy. Dissolving seaweed sauce sachets and technology inspired by a suckerfish to remove plastics from rivers are among 11 innovative projects to win the backing of a £4m government fund to clean up the environment. To showcase the ground-breaking research being led by UK scientists & innovators during Green GB & NI Week, the Business Secretary Greg Clark last week announced the winners of a competition to develop new products or processes to end the scourge of plastic waste. Among the winners are Skipping Rocks Lab in London, whose state-of-the-art facility is working on a scheme which could make the sight of single-use condiment sachets on takeaway counters a thing of the past by replacing plastic packaging with seaweed. The material, which has successfully been used as an alternative to the plastic water bottle, biodegrades as fast as a piece of fruit and is cheaper than plastic. Other successful companies to win government funding include:
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Researched Links: |
BEIS: Dissolving seaweed sauce sachets among innovative schemes to cut down on harmful plastic waste BEIS: Green Great Britain Week – simple steps you can take to reduce emissions BEIS: UK’s largest companies pledge hundreds of millions of pounds to tackle climate change BEIS: Driving ambition in green finance BEIS: Call for new green innovations to tackle climate change NIC: Armitt welcomes steps towards low-carbon heating as part of wider climate change ambitions NIC: Commons Committee ‘right to call for action now’ to support electric vehicle roll-out Defra: Major retailers help consumers be greener by burning cleaner DfT: Clean maritime revolution starts voyage STFC: Green Great Britain Week 10DS: Climate experts asked for advice on net zero target NAO: Low carbon heating of homes & businesses and the Renewable Heat Incentive CCC to advise Government on UK’s long-term emissions targets Chris Stark welcomes Government’s response to CCC’s 2018 Progress Report EA: Environmental performance of business continues to improve report shows Basically the present situation is a ‘load of rubbish’ Don’t we know better? |
Thousands will ‘sleep easier’ at night |
The government has released the first tranche of an estimated £400m to remove & replace unsafe cladding on social sector high-rise housing. The government has started distributing funding to remove & replace unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding systems on social sector high-rise housing in England owned by social landlords. Twelve local authorities and 31 housing associations have been told that they have been allocated the money they need to cover the cost of removing & replacing unsafe ACM cladding from social, residential buildings they own which are 18 metres or higher. This funding will enable local authorities & housing associations to get on with the job of making their buildings safe without having an impact on other vital services. As work is ongoing, costs are subject to change, and that is why the government will be closely monitoring progress. |
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MHCLG: Government releases funding to replace unsafe cladding MHCLG: Communities Secretary signals end to unfair leasehold practices |
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