Data Centre Review covers report after report which showcases the sheer scale of damages inflicted on firms as a result of cyberattacks. Now, the UK Government wants to help protect those firms by partnering with ARM to develop new chip technologies that are more resistant to cyber threats. 

The UK Government is putting its money where its mouth is, and is committing £36 million in funding to develop the more secure chipsets. It’s all part of the next phase of the government’s Digital Security by Design initiative, which is also backed by Google and Microsoft. 

“Cyberattacks can have a particularly nasty impact on businesses, from costing them thousands of pounds in essential revenue to reputational harm,” noted business secretary, Andrea Leadsom. 

“Cyber-criminals operate in the shadows, with the severity, scale and complexity of breaches constantly evolving. It’s critical that we are ahead of the game and developing new technologies and methods to confront future threats, supporting our businesses and giving them peace of mind to deliver their products and services safely.

“Investing in our world-leading researchers and businesses to develop better defence systems makes good business and security sense.”

Prosperity partnerships

In addition to the partnership with ARM, the government is also supporting a new ‘Prosperity Partnership’ between Toshiba Research Europe, University of Bristol and GCHQ to develop more resilient wireless networks through new techniques to detect future threats and mitigate their effects – including financial extortion, terrorism and damaging or destroying established systems.

The project between Toshiba Research Europe and the University of Bristol, is one of six new collaborations announced by the government, with £40 million government, industry and university investment into Prosperity Partnerships that aim to transform the way people live, work and travel.

Delivered by UKRI, major industry leaders, including Jaguar Land Rover, Eli Lilly and Company, Toshiba Research Europe, Microsoft, M Squared Lasers, Siemens and Nikon will team up with world-renowned universities and academics to help develop the technologies of the future.

Secure Wireless Agile Networks (SWAN) academic lead professor, Mark Beach of the University of Bristol, said, “The wireless networks that underpin so much of modern life are increasingly vulnerable to both cyberattacks and other induced failures.

“This partnership aims to develop secure wireless networks that are resilient to these threats, protecting individuals, businesses and society at large through Secure by Design methodologies.

“Secure Wireless Agile Networks (SWAN) and the wider Prosperity Partnership initiatives bring together a cadre of engineers from industry, government and academia with invaluable commercial insights and in-depth technical skills capable of delivering holistic solutions for a productive, healthy, resilient and connected nation.

“This UKRI scheme uniquely brings together partnerships who are ideally positioned to deliver technology for the wider benefits of society.”

The other new partnerships will:

• Allow doctors to spend more time with patients and reduce healthcare delays: A 5-year partnership between Microsoft and the University of Cambridge aims to improve and enhance Artificial Intelligence (AI) through simplifying development and reducing errors, helping to transform sectors including healthcare and gaming, as well as improve business productivity. The project has the potential to help designers build better gaming experiences, improve how staff communicate and work in businesses around the world, and reduce healthcare delays for patients.
• Powering Quantum Computers: M Squared Lasers and the University of Strathclyde will develop a new approach to scale up quantum computing by developing a system to handle large numbers of qubits, the tiny particles which will power quantum computers. The approach could accelerate drug design and improve healthcare, design new materials for aerospace and engineering, reduce traffic congestion on our roads and improve efficiency in distributing energy to homes and businesses.