New cyber action plan for Wales

Government’s four priorities are growing the cyber sector, building a talent pipeline, boosting resilience and protecting public services from attack. 

The new Cyber Action Plan for Wales lays out how Wales’ leading cyber sector can support the growth of the country’s economy, ensuring that Wales can prosper through cyber resilience, talent, and innovation. The plan will underpin the digital infrastructure that plays an ever-increasing part of our daily lives.

To achieve this, the plan details how government, industry, academia and law enforcement will work together. 

While cyber resilience and security is at the core of the new plan, the cyber sector also offers major economic opportunities. The plan takes forward the digital strategy for Wales, designed to everyone’s lives through collaboration, innovation and better public services.  

Publication of the plan coincided with the official opening in Cardiff of the new Cyber Innovation Hub, which will bring together industry, government, defence and academic partners with the aim of growing the Welsh cyber security sector. The Welsh government has invested £3m in this hub. 

In launching the Cyber Action Plan for Wales, Vaughan Gething, Minister for Economy, said: ‘Cyber is already a great strength for Wales, and we boast one of the strongest cyber eco-systems in the UK. We are excited about cyber’s potential to offer careers for young people from all backgrounds who can plan their future in Wales with real ambition.’ 

‘The Cyber Action Plan I am launching today builds on the success we’ve seen already and sets out how we will work with our partners to grow the sector even further.  We are committed to shaping a more diverse sector that is driven by talent and not held back by glass ceilings and Wales already sets a strong example with one of the most active “Women in Cyber clusters” in the UK.’ 

‘The innovation across our sector makes Wales an attractive offer for those working in cyber and a great place to build businesses in the industry. As well as creating opportunities and jobs, it stimulates the development of cyber skills which in turn makes our businesses and public services more resilient to cyber threats.’ 

‘By uniting around the priority areas of the Cyber Action Plan, we can win a more prosperous future for Wales through resilience, talent and innovation.’ 

In related news, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently warned of increased threats to the UK’s critical national infrastructure from state-aligned groups. 

Photo by Catherine Rogan