Governments around the world are looking to upgrade their cyber defences against a range of threats.
In the Indo-Pacific region, Japan, Australia, India and the US met in Tokyo to discuss the threats posed by China to both cybersecurity and maritime safety in the region.
The UK on the other hand is “desperately exposed” to cyber threats, according to the government’s Science Secretary Peter Kyle (via The Guardian).
Threats and risks on the rise
Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said at the summit held in Tokyo that, “In order to have the prosperity in the region, we must ensure stability of the foundation in maritime, cyber and space domains. We Quad nations aim to protect the foundations of prosperity in the Indo-Pacific as we seek to achieve an international community of co-existence and co-prosperity.”
Without specifically mentioning China, she also stated that “a certain country” was launching cyber attacks and escalating tensions in “a certain region,” further stating that “We Quad nations aim to protect the foundations of prosperity in the Indo-Pacific as we seek to achieve an international community of co-existence and co-prosperity” (via Independent).
The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, reconfirmed his commitment to combating China’s activities in the region, including its accelerating rhetoric regarding forcibly reuniting Taiwan with mainland China, stating, “We have not lost sight, indeed we are resolutely focused on this region that we share.”
On the other side of the globe, Peter Kyle has blamed the former Conservative government for eroding UK resilience to both cyber attacks and future pandemics. “National resilience suffered terribly, catastrophically,” he said. “The open warfare of the previous government prevented any kind of progress in these areas and left our country desperately exposed not just to a future pandemic but also to cybersecurity issues.”
His comments followed a warning by the National Cyber Security Centre stating that the UK was falling behind the capabilities of countries launching state-sponsored attacks against UK critical infrastructure.
A new cybersecurity and resilience bill is set to be introduced to the UK Parliament, alongside it’s AI Bill announced during the King’s speech.