While the Budget on November 26 by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves set out clear priorities for public-service resilience, it left unanswered questions about the growing risks surrounding national cybersecurity, according to Spencer Young, SVP International, Delinea. “We’re at a critical moment for the UK’s digital defences,” he said.
“Identity has become the front line of cyber conflict and the entry point that adversaries use to reach hospitals, supply chains and national infrastructure. Yet still it remains overlooked as a matter of national importance, despite it sitting at the centre of almost every major breach.
“The proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill pointed in the right direction, but it would have been valuable to see that ambition more clearly reflected or expanded upon in today’s Budget. As the government prepares to roll out Digital IDs, stronger recognition of identity as the connective tissue of national resilience is vital. Clearer standards and accountability for identity management and access control would close one of the most common routes attackers exploit.
“Matching ambition with reliable, long-term funding is essential. Cybersecurity investment in the UK remains fragmented and inconsistent, leaving critical services exposed and undermining the UK’s ability to build lasting cyber resilience. Greater focus here would complement the priorities set out in the Budget.”
Infrastructure call
Dominic Carroll, Director Portfolio, e2e-assure, called on the Government to treat cyber resilience as economic infrastructure. He said: “The attacks on JLR and M&S show that a single breach can disrupt supply chains, stall productivity and dent UK prosperity. Targeted incentives for 24/7 threat detection and response would protect growth where it matters most.”
Cyber plan
Camellia Chan, CEO and Co-Founder of X-PHY said that cyber security has to be recognised as a core part of the Chancellor’s plan, not a technical afterthought. She said: “Continuous attacks on critical services and major UK businesses show how a single breach can disrupt supply chains, erode public confidence and drag on growth – with the recent Jaguar incident alone estimated to have cost the UK economy £1.9 billion. That’s why sustained investment in cyber resilience is essential to protecting the wider economy.
“We see threat actors using automation and AI to exploit weaknesses deep within the technology stack, well beyond the reach of traditional, software-only defences – and the speed, scale and sophistication of those attacks is only increasing. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, backed by targeted Budget measures, is therefore crucial to strengthen security across every layer of an organisation’s technology and operations, and give market players the confidence to invest, innovate and keep the economy moving.”
