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The UK Cyber Security Council – the independent ‘umbrella’ organisation for the UK cyber security profession – introduces its first four trustees, a key milestone in its formation. The Council, prescribed by the UK government’s Initial National Cyber Security Skills Strategy policy paper, will transition from its Cyber Security Alliance led Formation Project to being its own entity at the end of March.

The Council is an independent, self-regulatory body charged with being the voice for the UK’s cyber security profession and with addressing the key education and skills challenges faced by the profession. These challenges include the development and promotion of the highest possible standards of cyber security expertise, excellence, professional conduct and practice, for the benefit of the public; and with attracting and developing the next generation of cyber security professionals.

The Council will work closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the UK's national technical authority for cyber security, to define and develop the professional skills the country needs.

The four initial trustees that form the inaugural leadership of the Council are:

• Dr Claudia Natanson (chair)
• Jessica Figueras (vice-chair)
• Mike Watson (treasurer)
• Carla Baker (trustee)

Dr Claudia Natanson, chair of the Council trustees, yesterday said:

“Cyber security is the new frontline for national security: for individuals, for private companies, for public companies, for critical national infrastructure and for government. While the technical aspects of cyber security are the absolute responsibility of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, the UK needs a body responsible for increasing the number, variety and diversity of cyber security specialists that the country produces, for raising the overall standard of skills of everyone in the profession, for ‘standardising the standards’, and for raising awareness of the importance of the critical importance and value of the profession to organisations and wider society."

Dr Budgie Dhanda, co-chair of the Council’s Formation Project Board, which has steered the process of forming the Council up to this point yesterday said:

“We’re very aware of a vast amount of pent-up demand within both the cyber-related and wider industry from organisations, both large and small, keen on developing standards and practices, intent on building international relationships and links, and willing and able to positively influence the overall direction of the profession. With the trustees in place, we can start to move forwards with membership, which will bring new opportunities for them to do so under the auspices of the Council.”

In September 2019, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) commissioned the establishment of the Council by a consortium of existing cyber security professional bodies known as the Cyber Security Alliance. Dr Bill Mitchell OBE, Chair of the Cyber Security Alliance, yesterday said:

“This is an important moment, appointing Trustees for the UK Cyber Security Council means it is now unequivocally an independent organisation in its own right. I’m delighted with these appointments: these trustees have the combined talent, deep understanding of the cyber industry, desire to drive the profession forwards, and the objectivity to ensure the Council is an inclusive organisation that will work for every relevant organisation that wants to be a member.”

The Alliance is made up of 16 industry members: (ISC)², BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISEC), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), CompTIA, CREST, Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSFS), Engineering Council, Information Assurance Advisory Council (IAAC), The Institution of Analysts and Programmers (IAP), The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC), ISACA UK, Security Institute (SyI), techUK and The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists (WCIT).