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NCSC’s CyberFirst expansion to support 10,000+ students into cyber careers

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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IN4 Group has secured the contract to deliver CyberFirst on behalf of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ, the UK’s intelligence and security agency, in the West Midlands for the first time.

This will result in significant investment into the technology careers of thousands of local students, according to the firm, which is headquartered in MediaCity, Salford, and already delivers the CyberFirst contract in the North West – it is now expanding to the West Midlands to deliver CyberFirst Schools & Colleges.

The initiative was set up by the NCSC to encourage a more diverse range of young people to pursue careers in the sector, championing cyber education in the region.

IN4 is expanding its team and will be establishing offices at STEAMhouse in Millennium Point, Birmingham, where it looks to build further corporate, academic, and local government partnerships in the West Midlands and across the UK.

Key to this will be the role of industry and universities based in the West Midlands. Several Apex partners including IBM, Northrop Grumman, KPMG UK, QinetiQ, CGI and BT, have already invested in a successful delivery model in the North West and there are opportunities to replicate this in the West Midlands.

It aims to engage with at least 80 schools across the region, providing additional opportunities for students and schools to increase their cyber knowledge and make careers in cyber more accessible.

Lauren Monks, CyberFirst lead and Director of Strategy and Operations at IN4 Group, said: “This is such an exciting opportunity for IN4 Group and CyberFirst to expand its operations to the West Midlands with our pioneering programme, which is designed to spark curiosity and raise career aspirations in technology for all young people.

“With our proven track record of delivering a social return on investment of over £1.6m in less than 12 months in the North West, we’re looking to bring the same kind of social impact to the West Midlands. We want to move away from the postcode lottery of opportunities that are dependent on the place where you live, so the next generation of young people are not only aware of careers in tech but can also realistically see themselves following that path, no matter what background they’re from.”

In parallel with its work in the North West, IN4 is also looking to establish CyberFirst MEGA Hubs, which will be rolled out across both regions with one in each local authority area. The blueprint for the MEGA Hubs model aims to give every single young person access to world-class technology skills and employment pathways.

CyberFirst MEGA Hubs will be established with CyberFirst Gold recognised schools, colleges and sixth forms to attract inward investment and deliver STEM educational enrichment through the development of a technology-embedded integrated curriculum. They will work with education and corporate partners to deliver skills to young people and provide a route into apprenticeships, undergraduate degrees, and cyber-related careers.

Chris Ensor, NCSC Deputy Director for Cyber Growth, said: “The NCSC is committed to encouraging diverse talent into the cyber security industry, but we can’t do this alone. Industry plays a vital role and our partnership with IN4 Group in the West Midlands will help us reach a large audience and help to build the region’s cyber skills ecosystem.”

Having already begun activities in the West Midlands, IN4 held the first CyberFirst MEGA event at Villa Park, bringing together 500 girls from 13 schools in the West Midlands.

Angela Moore, Senior Delivery Manager – Careers Strategy at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), said: “It was great to witness firsthand at the MEGA event at Aston Villa Football Club just how young girls can be inspired by tech and the potential the sector holds for them in the future. Amazing work and I’m very excited to see how this develops in the future and brings further opportunity for our young people in the West Midlands.”

Since May 2022, CyberFirst North West has engaged with over 4,500 young people, including 48 per cent from ethnic minorities and 80 per cent female.

With only 22% of the UK’s cyber security workforce represented by women – a major objective is to inspire girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with an interest in STEM careers. IN4 is looking to bring this experience and work closely with a range of expert stakeholders in the West Midlands to help shape the CyberFirst offering to local students.

ADVANCED THREAT DASHBOARDS: From Static Displays to Dynamic Insights – Where are solutions heading?

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Both private and public sector CISOs in the UK face a constant barrage of security alerts. But traditional security information and event management (SIEM) systems, with their overwhelming dashboards, are no longer enough. Enter Advanced Threat Dashboards (ATDs), revolutionising how CISOs gain insights and make critical security decisions. Here’s how ATDs have evolved and what the future might hold…

Beyond the Information Overload

Traditional SIEM dashboards often presented a deluge of data, making it difficult for CISOs to identify the most critical threats. ATDs address this by offering:

  • Actionable Insights: ATDs go beyond simply displaying alerts. They leverage data correlation and threat intelligence to prioritise real threats, allowing CISOs to focus on the most urgent security issues.
  • Customisable Visualisations: ATDs offer customisable dashboards tailored to individual CISOs’ needs. These dashboards can present real-time data on security posture, attack trends, and incident response efforts in a visually clear and actionable format.
  • Threat Context: ATDs provide context to security incidents. They integrate threat intelligence feeds, vulnerability databases, and user activity information, giving CISOs a complete picture of the attack landscape and its potential impact.
  • Improved Threat Hunting Capabilities: ATDs offer advanced threat hunting features that allow CISOs to proactively search for and identify lurking threats within their network, preventing breaches before they occur.
  • Collaboration Tools: ATDs often come with built-in collaboration tools, enabling CISOs to share threat information and coordinate incident response efforts with their security teams.

The Evolving Threat Landscape Demands Evolving Solutions

The future of ATDs in the UK promises even greater sophistication:

  • Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): ML and AI will power advanced anomaly detection, predict potential cyberattacks, and automate threat response actions, significantly reducing the burden on security teams.
  • Integration with Security Orchestration and Automation Response (SOAR) Platforms: Seamless integration with SOAR platforms will enable automated incident response workflows, streamlining the entire security response process.
  • Focus on User Behaviour Analytics (UBA): ATDs will incorporate UBA capabilities to identify and flag suspicious user activity, potentially indicating insider threats or compromised accounts.
  • Cloud-Based Solutions: Cloud-based ATDs will offer greater scalability, flexibility, and accessibility for organisations of all sizes, making them a cost-effective option for many CISOs.
  • Metrics and ROI Measurement: ATDs will provide better metrics and reporting tools, allowing CISOs to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of their security investments to stakeholders.

A Clearer View of the Threat Landscape

Advanced Threat Dashboards represent a critical evolution in security information management. By offering curated data, actionable insights, and enhanced threat hunting capabilities, ATDs ensure CISOs have the tools they need to make informed decisions and stay ahead of ever-evolving cyber threats. The future of ATDs promises a future driven by automation, deeper threat intelligence, and a focus on user behaviour, empowering CISOs to protect their organisations more effectively and efficiently.

Remember, in today’s complex cyber threat landscape, CISOs need clear visibility into their security posture. Advanced Threat Dashboards are a critical tool in their arsenal, providing the insights they need to make informed security decisions and protect their organisations’ critical assets.

Are you looking for Advanced Threat Dashboard solutions for your organisation? The Cyber Secure Forum can help!

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