资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

18/10/2019

British businesses and the public are set to be better protected from hostile cyber-attacks and online threats like disinformation and cyber-bullying as a result of three separate UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) initiatives, Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom announced today (Friday 18 October).

Government is partnering with Arm in a new project to develop new chip technologies that are more resistant to cyber threats, backed by £36 million in funding. This is the next phase of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Digital Security by Design initiative, also backed by Google and Microsoft.

The average cost of a cyber-attack on a business – where a breach has resulted in loss of data or assets – has increased by more than £1,000 since 2018 to £4,180. While doing the basics, such as having strong passwords and updating software regularly are the best defence for homes and businesses, having innovative hardware and systems solutions are critical to defend advanced technology and our defence systems.

This project has the potential to prevent hackers from remotely taking control of computer systems as well as targeting cyber-attacks and breaches, meaning more businesses providing online services are better protected. It will also create new business opportunities and help boost productivity.

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “Cyber-attacks can have a particularly nasty impact on businesses, from costing them thousands of pounds in essential revenue to reputational harm.

“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.”

A further project, backed by £18 million Government investment, through the Strategic Priorities Fund, will tackle some of the dangers of the online world from privacy abuses and wrongful use of data like disinformation and online fraud. This will be delivered by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), in partnership with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

The initiative will help provide solutions to some of the issues identified in the Government’s Online Harms White Paper, which sets out plans for world-leading legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. The project will help understand what businesses and individuals need to reduce the harm they are exposed to by using online platforms and will aim to develop more trustworthy technology.

This will help to prevent incidents of online fraud, phishing emails, impersonating organisations online and viruses or other malware like ransomware, which cost the UK economy millions of pounds in lost productivity.

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport said:

“It is crucial that our citizens and businesses are able to access digitally secure products and services that are not vulnerable to cyber threats.

“The investments announced today will help to ensure the UK has a robust system in place to withstand cyber threats and create a safer future online, increasing trust and productivity in our economy.”

Arm chief architect and Fellow Richard Grisenthwaite said: “Achieving truly robust security for a world of a trillion connected devices requires a radical shift in how technology companies approach cyber-threats. Research into new ways of building inherently more cyber-resilient chip platforms is critical.

“Our first step is to create prototype hardware, the Morello Board, as a real-world test platform for prototype architecture developed by Arm that uses the University of Cambridge’s CHERI protection model. It will enable industry and academic partners to assess the security benefits of foundational new technologies we’re making significant investments in.”

A pioneering project between Toshiba Research Europe and the University of Bristol, is one of six new EPSRC Prosperity Partnerships announced today with £40 million government, industry and university investment to transform the way people live, work and travel.

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.

The Secure Wireless Agile Networks (SWAN) partnership involving Toshiba Research Europe, the University of Bristol and GCHQ will 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.

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 cyber-attacks 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.”

Other projects include significantly reducing the time and cost of producing new drugs, speeding up new treatments for a range of conditions and developing the next generation of cleaner, low-emission hybrid vehicles.

The other new partnerships will be:

• Provide UK motorists with access to affordable electrified vehicles: Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Oxford are teaming up to accelerate the UK’s transition to zero emissions by researching the next generation of world-leading cleaner hybrid powertrains. As a result of the programme, the enhanced vehicles will significantly improve air quality, lower fuel bills and reduce emissions, helping the UK meet its net zero ambitions by 2050.
   
• Allow doctors to spend more time with patients and reduce healthcare delays: A five-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.
   
• Detecting life-threatening diseases like cancer: Nikon and UCL will partner to combine new techniques to gain more information from X-rays – akin to the transition from black and white to colour photography - putting the UK at the forefront of X-Ray Imaging (XRI). The partnership would have major repercussions across a range of sectors from medicine to security to manufacturing, aerospace and cultural heritage, including reducing false alarms at airport security and detecting life-threatening illness.
   
• Reduce the cost and time to produce drugs and speeding up new treatments: Eli Lilly and Company and Imperial College London will develop advanced techniques for the rapid development of new drugs with fewer adverse effects to treat a range of illnesses and conditions. The partnership will put the UK at the cutting-edge of expertise and innovation of commercial pharmaceuticals and significantly benefit patients.

Prosperity Partnerships support existing strategic, research-based collaborations between business and universities to deliver societal and economic impact. The five-year partnerships announced today are supported with almost £18 million government funding, nearly £18 million from industry partners and £4 million from universities.

To date, 29 partnerships have received £195 million from the Government, industry and universities.