Memorandum submitted by the Ministry of
Defence on Cyber security
This memorandum responds to the Committee's
further questions on cyber security:
Q. What is the contribution of MoD to national
resilience against cyber attack? What work is currently taking
place?
1. The MoD is responsible for the protection,
resilience and continuity of its own businesses and information
networks. This includes military systems, such the UK's air defence
systems, which maintain the UK's territorial integrity.
2. The MoD provides technical advice and
expertise to the civilian agencies responsible for the UK's national
information infrastructure. It is closely involved in the cross-Departmental
project led by the Cabinet Office to consider the UK's overall
approach to cyber security and develop a National Cyber Security
Strategy.
3. As in the case of more traditional forms
of attack, the Government would be able to draw on a range of
instruments of national power in responding to a cyber attack.
Along with technical, legal, political, economic and other instruments,
the threat or use of military force is also of course an option
in cases of very serious attack.
Q. What sections or bodies within the MoD
have responsibility for cyber security?
4. Cyber security is an essential part of
almost every MoD activity, and an important responsibility for
both individual users and operational commanders.
5. Overall cyber security policy and operations
are jointly the responsibility of the Assistant Chief of Defence
Staff (Operations) (ACDS(Ops)), the MoD's Chief Information Officer
(CIO) and Director Business Resilience (DBR). ACDS(Ops) and CIO
together oversee the development and implementation of cyber security
policy. CIO and DBR together manage the Information Assurance
(IA) framework, which provides for the security of the MoD's information
against a range of threats including cyber attack. The Chief of
Defence Materiel (CDM) has responsibility for operating many of
MoD's networks and hence for maintaining the standards of MoD
defences and taking immediate action in the event of an incident.
6. The MoD's equipment capability, Defence
Intelligence (DIS), and Scientific and Technical (S&T) staffs
provide important support.
7. This division of responsibilities reflects
the way that cyber security is a complex and cross-cutting issue,
affecting a range of different MoD policy areas and activities.
In order to provide coherence, Director General Strategy coordinates
cyber security policy work across the Department as required.
Q. Will the Government be publishing a cross-governmental
policy on cyber security? If so, when?
8. A National Cyber Security Strategy will
be published following further consultation with Ministers. As
noted in paragraph 3 above, this project is led by the Cabinet
Office.
19 May 2009
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