UK seeks to take international lead on cyber security

Cabinet Office security head says UK will be at the forefront of the fight against international cyber crime and terrorism

The UK intends to lead the international fight against cyber crime and terrorism, according to Neil Thompson, director of the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (OCS).

"The UK has signalled its willingness to lead internationally," Thompson said at the Working Together to Improve UK Cyber Security conference in London today.

He explained that foreign minister William Hague will be hosting a conference in London in the coming months to discuss cyber threats with Britain's international peers.

Thompson added that the UK's response to the cyber threat needs to be developed in tandem with those elsewhere, including in the US.

"We need to co-ordinate our policy response with those of our partners in the US and elsewhere. I speak to Howard Schmidt, my opposite number in the White House, daily."

He concluded that it is imperative for the UK to lead the discussion in order to protect its own interests.

"We have to fight and win battles to decide internationally how this will be run. There are states that want to dictate how cyberspace evolves in a way that would be detrimental to our interests."