Today, Kat Sommer, Associate Director for Government Affairs and Analyst Relations at NCC Group, gave evidence to the UK Parliament’s Business & Trade Committee Economic Security Sub-Committee, contributing to its inquiry into the UK’s approach to economic security and cyber resilience.
Kat appeared alongside Ciaran Martin, former CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and Jamie MacColl from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), in a session focused on the role of public-private partnerships in defending the UK’s economic interests in the face of growing cyber threats.
The inquiry was launched in response to recent high-profile cyber-attacks on major UK retailers. The session followed testimony from senior representatives of the Co-Op and Marks & Spencer, and precedes further evidence from the current NCSC CEO, the National Crime Agency, City of London Police, and government Ministers Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP and Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP. As the only representative from the UK cyber industry to appear during the two days of hearings, Kat brought a crucial industry perspective to the discussion.
Speaking during the session, Kat emphasised the strength of the UK’s public-private partnership model:
"[NCC Group has] been a private sector partner to the NCSC from the outset. The way in which the public-private partnership was built into the NCSC, through the Industry100 partnership, in particular, is remarkable. It is something that international delegations come to the UK to learn about. [The NCSC] has created an environment in which private sector participants are partners not just providers. [...] This is something to be very proud of."
She also highlighted the evolving threat landscape:
"Everything relying on digital technology has broadened the attack surface massively. [...] The other thing we're seeing at NCC Group, and that our threat intelligence team has pointed to, is the convergence of threat actor groups. So, nation states working with cybercriminal groups. Hacktivists being coopted by criminals. The ecosystem of adversaries coming together to [the UK's] detriment."
Kat’s evidence also addressed the role and perception of NCSC guidance in the private sector:
"Within the cyber community, the NCSC is incredibly well-known and respected. Awareness in the broader realms of society is still relatively limited. There is a role for private sector partners to play as ambassadors and amplifiers."
NCC Group remains committed to its role as a responsible and expert voice at the heart of the UK’s cyber ecosystem, supporting national resilience, advancing public-private collaboration, and using its expertise for the greater good.