The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) will target “large, high-profile buyers with significant budgets” in a “curated” fresh push to promote the UK’s cyber security sector overseas, the department announced today

With forecasts showing exports rising to £2.6 billion by 2021, but procurement generally still led by technical specialists in line with company specific issues and threats, “broad awareness raising and brand building is unlikely to generate sufficient demand”, DIT said.

The department – led by Secretary of State for International Trade Dr Liam Fox – will take the lead pursuing commercial opportunities in priority territories, engaging at a Government to Government (G2G) level – with an emphasis on the US, the Gulf and South East Asia

It hopes to promote the UK’s estimated 800 cyber security companies  with a particular focus on six sectors: government, financial services, automative industry, energy, healthcare, and infrastructure, the department said.

ICO Raids Offices Suspected of 200 Million Nuisance Calls
Coming soon: Blockchain for Business
How businesses are becoming smarter at prioritising security vulnerabilities

Commenting, Rob Norris, VP Head of Enterprise & Cyber Security EMEIA at Fujitsu said: “Even the best-run company could suffer from a hack or data breach. It’s encouraging to see that steps are being taken to continue strengthening the UK’s cybersecurity capabilities. After all, cybercrime is not a probability, it is an inevitability and it will be the way in which we prepare for it that can make all the difference.”

Dr Liam Fox said: “A thriving UK cyber security sector is a key national security and prosperity aim. The world is experiencing an unprecedented transformation as relationships between organisations and their customers and stakeholders take place in increasingly digitised environments. The rapid rise in disruptive digital technologies inevitably exposes system vulnerabilities, as seen in recent high-profile cyber attacks on large businesses and public organisations. The accelerated pace of digital change brings a great opportunity to promote the UK’s cyber security expertise to international markets. Exporting to existing and new markets will help build a Britain that is fit for the future.”