CBN Newsletter | July 2025

Our monthly update to bring you the relevant, high-level policy and business news from across the cyber sector. 

This month, we take a look at the Government’s new Industrial Strategy, Cyber Growth Action Plan, and a raft of other public and private sector announcements.

If you have any questions about the content, or believe we should add to our coverage, please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

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Headlines

Government published Modern Industrial Strategy 

Last month, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) unveiled its long-awaited Modern Industrial Strategy, a ten-year long plan to increase economic growth and foreign direct investment in the UK, which focuses on eight growth-driving sectors.. 

The strategy has a strong focus on cybersecurity, with Chapter 3.3 of the Digital and Technology Plan dedicated solely to cyber. Viewed as a driver of growth and security, the plan states that the Government will aim to attract investors and support innovation across cyber skills, R&D, infrastructure, regulation and international partnerships; this is also supported by the billions in extra funding awarded to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) in the recent Spending Review. 

Key commitments include:

Separately, the  Government has also recently published the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, which pledged at least £725 billion in public funding over the next decade to update the UK’s economic and social infrastructure. 

Further, they also released the National Security Strategy (NSS); in recognising our reliance on digital infrastructure could increase vulnerabilities to cyber attacks, the strategy outlined the Government’s commitments to improving national security – most notably, it announced that a dedicated National Cyber Strategy will be published later this year to outline the Government’s approach to cybersecurity resilience, alongside a further Resilience Strategy targeting a broader range of risks and the upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, expected later this year. 

If you have any questions regarding the Government’s work in this area, please contact us at secretariat@cb-network.org. 

Cyber Growth Action Plan 2025

The government published the terms of reference for a new Cyber Growth Plan, which will identify possibilities for growth in the UK’s cyber sector. Led by Bristol University and Imperial College London, the recommendations are expected to be published “later this summer”. 

Specifically, the review will cover the supply and demand of cyber goods and services, such as protective monitoring and encryption, identifying potential areas to capitalise on as well as explore the possibilities associated with AI and quantum. The Plan will feed into the forthcoming National Cyber Strategy.


 

Insights

Why Cybersecurity Needs Storytellers

How comms can combat misinformation and build trust

Liva Emmatty, our Communications Lead here at CBN, writes about how cybersecurity is as much about people and trust as it is about technology. With social media now the main news source for over half the global population, the spread of misinformation can leave organisations exposed to confusion and reputational harm.

Communications professionals in cybersecurity have a crucial role in busting common myths, simplifying technical concepts through relatable storytelling, and engaging with policymakers to ensure cyber policy reflects real-world challenges, and can help organisations prepare for crises by monitoring misinformation and responding quickly and clearly.

Interested in learning more about how you can benefit from communications support? Reach out to the CBN secretariat at secretariat@cb-network.org

News Updates

Political and policy updates

UK and Canada commit to cybersecurity cooperation

The UK and Canada have agreed to increase collaboration on cybersecurity as part of their broader partnership. This includes joint efforts to counter malicious cyber activity, information manipulation, and digital transnational repression. 

The countries are launching the Joint Canada-UK Common Good Cyber Fund, with $5.7 million (£ ) in initial funding, to support civil society organizations at high risk from digital threats. Both countries will also work together to develop secure communications products, advance cryptography, and start new research partnerships to address gaps in AI security and improve AI models for national security purposes.

Ministerial comment on cyber and undersea cable threats

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, Luke Pollard, said during a National Security Strategy Committee inquiry session that the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885, which imposes fines of up to £1,000 for cable sabotage, is somewhat “out of step” with modern-day risk, and the government may look to update the legislation in coming years. 

Telecommunications Minister Chris Bryant explained that while current laws are functional for peacetime, there is a gap in how the UK addresses “grey zone threats”. He explained that the government is looking at creating a defence readiness bill in future, as noted in the recent Strategic Defence Review. 

Threats to undersea cables pose a significant risk to the UK cyber industry by jeopardising the secure and reliable flow of data that underpins its operations and services. This session was part of a larger inquiry into the security of the UK’s undersea cables, which is set to be published later this year. 

Parliamentary report on Iranian cyber threats

A report from Parliament’s Joint Intelligence and Security Committee has warned that Iran poses a significant and persistent cyber threat to the UK, on a par with those from Russia and China. 

The report, which is based on classified intelligence and expert interviews, highlighted the damage caused by Iranian cyber attacks targeting UK companies, as well as ongoing efforts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to conduct hostile operations within the UK. It also outlines the various measures the UK has taken to respond, including “offensive cyber” and to address “cyber espionage”. 

Parliamentary questions

This month, members raised questions around ensuring the resilience of 6G infrastructure against cyber threats, the investigation into recent cyber attacks on Marks and Spencers and the support of high street retailers (also here) against these attacks. A member also asked about the safeguarding of air traffic control from cyber threats. Finally a member from the House of Lords raised a question on public cybersecurity vacancies and contracting. 

NCSC updates

Business Updates

Cyber security investment drives growth but threat landscape intensifies

UK businesses are generating an estimated £27bn in additional annual revenue from investing in cyber security, according to research by ESET, a global cyber security provider. The data shows that 53% of UK firms report increased turnover linked to cyber investment, with 70% of those attributing growth to winning new business due to strong cyber credentials. 

44% of firms reported that robust cyber security has enabled them to take more risks, such as entering new markets or adopting new technologies. However, the retail and public sectors remain frequent targets. ESET also found that 53% of UK firms have suffered at least one cyber attack, and that cyber crime has cost UK businesses £63bn in the past three years. 

It was further reported that 77% of firms plan to increase their cyber security budgets as they increasingly see digital resilience as a commercial asset rather than just risk mitigation. Despite this, only 12% fully outsource their cyber operations, and 69% have experienced ransomware breaches.

Four arrested over cyber-attacks on M&S, Co-op and Harrods

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said two 19-year-old men, a 17-year-old boy and a 20-year-old woman had been apprehended on suspicion of breaching the Computer Misuse Act, blackmail, money laundering and joining the activities of organised crime.

About CBN

The Cybersecurity Business Network is a coalition of leading UK-based organisations committed to strengthening the nation’s cyber resilience, fostering innovation and supporting economic growth. Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, we empower our members to drive growth and set standards for excellence across the UK cyber sector.

As a member-led network, our ambition is to serve as the unified voice of the UK cyber industry, championing its interests, amplifying its potential, advocating for greater engagement and support from government, media, and the wider business community.

Membership to CBN is free for all cybersecurity organisations. If you are interested to hear more about CBN or want to become a member, then please reach out to secretariat@cb-network.org for more info.

Founded by Clarity

Global digital marketing and communications agency, providing fearless marketing and consultancy to the world’s most progressive companies.

We match data-driven science with human ingenuity to expand our full-funnel, specialist services and expertise. Our vision is to accelerate positive change and impact across the world. A firm believer of cybersecurity as an enabler of growth and resilience, we are proud to driving its prosperous impact forward. Get in touch with secretariat@cb-network.org to understand more on how Clarity can enhance reputation, create impact, and drive growth in your organisations.