The Research Institute in the Science of Cyber Security is a joint initiative between EPSRC and GCHQ. Cyber Security remains for the most part an art, but for the future a well-founded discipline based on systematic, defined principles is needed – in other words, a “science of security”. This is work that is in its infancy, but where the UK has a chance to be at the leading edge.
The ultimate objective of the Institute is to improve Cyber Security within organisations – both in the public and private sectors – with an emphasis on securing the UK and safeguarding UK economic prosperity (http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cyber-security-strategy). GCHQ is well placed to influence and assist in this arena, via setting national policy for UK government security, and also through its relationship with the commercial security sector.
The Research Institute will bring together a diverse set of interdisciplinary researchers, all focussed on driving forward the basic understanding of how to assess the relative security of an enterprise system – including its constituent technology, people and processes – and the effectiveness of different mitigation strategies. There will be a particularly strong emphasis on the human behavioural aspects of security.
The Institute will bring together researchers with security practitioners from across the government and commercial sectors, to deliver research which is informed and inspired by real world, cutting edge security issues. The Institute is also expected to form strong links with international researchers in the field, particularly in the United States.