UK investing £40 million on a new cyber security centre in Wiltshire

The UK government is investing more than £40 million on a new Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) at MOD Corsham in Wiltshire, South West England.

The Ministry of Defence says that the CSOC will be “a dedicated facility staffed by experts that utilises state-of-the-art defensive cyber capabilities to protect the MOD’s cyberspace from malicious actors.”

The centre will help secure networks and systems against cyber threats and bring together defensive cyber activity, allowing the department to continue to operate safely and securely.

Comment by Michael Fallon

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “Britain is a world leader in cyber security but with growing threats this new Operations Centre will ensure that our Armed Forces continue to operate securely.

“Our increasing defence budget means that we can stay ahead of our adversaries in cyberspace while also investing in conventional capabilities.”

Good for the economy

North Wiltshire MP James Gray said that the new centre in Corsham will help “add to the improvement of the economy in the area.”

Gray was quoted by the BBC as saying that he is proud to see the area make a “useful contribution to the defence of the realm.”

The UK is investing £1.9 billion in improving cyber security over the next five years

The British government will be investing £1.9 billion over the next five years in protecting the UK from cyber attacks and developing the country’s sovereign capabilities in cyber space – as outlined in November’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

“The £40 million investment in the CSOC is part of the wider government plan and it will transform the MOD’s operational cyber security capabilities.”

Video – Cyber Security

Cyber security is a term we are hearing and reading about increasingly in the media. It refers to the protection of computer systems from digital attacks and hackers. Cyber, which can be a prefix or an adjective, includes anything characteristic of or related to computers, software, virtual reality, and some other aspects of IT. This Market Business News video explains the meaning of the term.