A new cyber security network led by Oxford University’s Department of Computer Science will open early next year, with £6 million in funding from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The aim of the Cyber Security Research and Networking Environment (CRANE) NetworkPlus is to improve cyber security in the UK and beyond, make the most of emerging technologies, and better prepare society against future threats.
“There is a pressing need for improvements in cybersecurity across a broad spectrum of social and technical research,” said Professor Andrew Martin of the Department of Computer Science.
“We want to help the community to identify areas where research can bring the most benefit and encourage its development right across the UK and beyond.”
Aligned with the UK National Cyber Strategy, CRANE aims to bring together academic researchers, government, industry, and non-profit organizations.
“By harnessing the UK’s rich cybersecurity expertise, fostered through initiatives such as the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Academic Centres of Excellence and Research Institutes, we can amplify our impact and innovate solutions,” said Ollie Whitehouse, the chief technical officer at the NCSC.
“Collaboration between academia, industry, and government is an imperative if we are to further strengthen the UK’s competitive edge and enhance our national resilience to evolving cyber threats.”
CRANE aims to support grassroots research efforts by helping researchers form special interest groups and working groups focused on specific cybersecurity research areas, allowing them to share insights, methods, and breakthroughs. The initiative also plans to establish the first learned society dedicated to cybersecurity research, bringing together researchers from across disciplines, and giving UK businesses, government, and the voluntary, charity, and community sectors a key connection point to access experts. There will be regional activities, face-to-face and online events, and a small grants scheme for early-stage research projects.
Professors Lynne Coventry from Abertay University, Adam Joinson from the University of Bath, Steven Murdoch from University College London, and Mark Ryan from the University of Birmingham will co-lead CRANE.
With the UK the third most-targeted country in the world for cyber attacks, science secretary Peter Kyle recently warned that it was seriously exposed. A cybersecurity bill is now in the pipeline, bringing increased incident reporting obligations for organizations, and giving regulators more power.
“Since taking office, we’ve made shoring up our cyber defenses a national priority. To make sure they’re stronger than ever, we’ll be bringing in new laws next year as we continue to take steps to ensure our online economy and critical services are safe, resilient, and secure,” said Minister for cybersecurity Feryal Clark.
“This network will bolster those efforts, building up a better picture of where our strengths lie and where the gaps we need to plug are, all while supporting our expert cyber security workforce to drive forward their careers and become the UK’s cyber leaders of tomorrow.”
