The Vulnerability Research Initiative (VRI) is a programme of research with external partners on VR by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of the UK intelligence agency GCHQ. The UK official body wants to extend its engagement with experts on particular topics, such as the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to VR. Contact their team, at [email protected], giving your VR skillset and areas of expertise.
The VRI aims to strengthen the UK’s ability to carry out VR. The NCSC has said it works with the best external vulnerability researchers to deliver deep understanding of security on a range of technologies. As well as informing the NCSC’s advice and guidance as the National Technical Authority on cyber security, our research allows us to engage with technology vendors to encourage them to fix the bugs we find and build more secure products, the NCSC adds.
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Kev Breen, senior director of cyber threat research at the cyber exercises and training platform Immersive, welcomed this as an extension to the NCSC’s Vulnerability Research Team. He said: “There is a great deal of capability in the public domain, especially in more niche areas of research. It is not practical for the NCSC to maintain the necessary skills, time, and resources to effectively hunt for bugs across all of these domains. Extending the VRI to include the wider community, via invitation or application, is an excellent way to broaden that knowledge base.
“One potential issue, however, is that this is not equivalent to a bug bounty programme, where researchers are paid for the vulnerabilities they report. This may limit the number of individuals willing to participate, as there is little incentive to contribute when they could be compensated for similar work through existing bug bounty schemes.”
Kevin Robertson, CTO of Acumen Cyber, said: “This initiative sounds promising in theory, but given the NCSC’s track record of largely ineffective and self-serving programmes, it could end up as another flop that delivers little real value. Cyber is often described as a community sport, which explains the recent proliferation of vulnerability research initiatives.
“However, independent researchers typically have little incentive to collaborate with bodies like the NCSC, as they stand to gain far more recognition and impact by publishing their findings themselves, rather than handing them over to a government agency. Organisations recognise that having more vigilant eyes on their networks – constantly scanning for vulnerabilities that could be exploited maliciously – can contribute to a safer internet. Yet, this is more like a fragmented neighbourhood watch where participants prioritise their own interests, and agencies like the NCSC often fail to foster genuine cooperation.
“The NCSC appears to be seeking researchers to participate in this initiative, potentially hiring them to examine specific products for weaknesses. Details on which products are involved remain unclear, but they might include widespread technologies in critical sectors or emerging ones tied to the government’s Plan for Change. Software and hardware vulnerabilities remain one of the most prevalent avenues for criminals to attack organisations, and we have seen high-profile actors exploit them in major supply chain breaches affecting UK businesses and citizens. While the NCSC claims to be proactive in addressing these threats and mitigating supply chain incidents, its efforts frequently fall flat.
“The fundamental issue is that the NCSC must not only launch this initiative but sustain it effectively – something it has struggled with in the past, where well-intentioned schemes routinely fail to yield tangible benefits. It is essential that this does not become yet another example of wasted potential in a field where independent action often proves more meaningful.”
