51 Section 6 DETER 6.5. ENHANCING SOVEREIGN CAPABILITIES – OFFENSIVE CYBER 6.5.1. Offensive cyber capabilities involve deliberate intrusions into opponents’ systems or networks, with the intention of causing damage, disruption or destruction. Offensive cyber forms part of the full spectrum of capabilities we will develop to deter adversaries and to deny them opportunities to attack us, in both cyberspace and the physical sphere. Through our National Offensive Cyber Programme (NOCP), we have a dedicated capability to act in cyberspace and we will commit the resources to develop and improve this capability. Objective 6.5.2. We will ensure that we have at our disposal appropriate offensive cyber capabilities that can be deployed at a time and place of our choosing, for both deterrence and operational purposes, in accordance with national and international law. Our approach 6.5.3. To do this, we will: • invest in our NOCP – the partnership between the Ministry of Defence and GCHQ that is harnessing the skills and talents of both organisations to deliver the tools, techniques and tradecraft required; • develop our ability to use offensive cyber tools; and • develop the ability of our Armed Forces to deploy offensive cyber capabilities as an integrated part of operations, thereby enhancing the overall impact we can achieve through military action. Measuring success 6.5.4. The Government will measure our success in establishing offensive cyber capabilities by assessing progress towards the following outcomes: • the UK is a world leader in offensive cyber capability; and • the UK has established a pipeline of skills and expertise to develop and deploy our sovereign offensive cyber capabilities. 6.6. ENHANCING SOVEREIGN CAPABILITIES – CRYPTOGRAPHY 6.6.1. Cryptographic capability is fundamental to protecting our most sensitive information and to choosing how we deploy our Armed Forces and national security capabilities. To maintain this capability, we will require private sector skills and technologies that are assured by GCHQ. This is likely to require work to be done in the UK, by British Nationals with the requisite security clearance, working for companies who are prepared to be completely open with GCHQ in discussing design and implementation details. The MOD and GCHQ are working to establish a sound understanding of the long-term cost implications of maintaining such sovereign cryptographic capabilities, based on prevailing market conditions and in cooperation with those companies currently able to provide such solutions. Objective 6.6.2. We have the confidence that the UK will always have political control over those cryptographic capabilities vital to our national security and, therefore, the means to protect UK secrets. National Cyber Security Strategy 2016