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CONCLUSION
CYBER SECURITY BEYOND 2021
10.1. The rapid evolution of the cyber
landscape will constantly throw up new
challenges as technology evolves and our
adversaries act to exploit it. However, this
strategy aims to provide a range of policies,
tools and capabilities that will ensure we
can respond quickly and flexibly to each
new challenge as it arises.
10.4. Even in the most optimistic scenario,
some of the challenges the UK faces in
the cyber domain, whether in scale or
complexity, may need more than five years
to address. This strategy nonetheless
provides us with the means to transform
our future security and safeguard our
prosperity in the digital era.
10.2. Should we fail to act effectively,
the threat will continue to outpace our
ability to protect ourselves against it.
We can expect an explosion of threat
capability at all levels.
10.3. Conversely, if we realise these
ambitions, all parts of UK government,
business and society will play their part
in delivering the country’s overall cyber
security. If we can ensure security is
designed and built in, by default, into
commodity technologies, consumers
and businesses would have less cause
to worry about cyber security. Should
the UK consolidate its reputation as a
secure environment to do business online,
more global companies and investors
will choose to locate here. Security for
CNI networks and priority sectors would
be more effective. Potential attackers
looking to develop tools and attack
methods against systems holding key
functions and data would in turn have
to work harder to overcome the layered
security that surrounds them. This would
change the risk versus reward equation
for cyber criminals and malicious actors,
who would expect to face the same threat
of prosecution internationally as they do
for traditional crimes. If we can succeed
in mainstreaming cyber security across
all parts of our society, it could mean that
Government itself can step back from
such a prominent role, allowing the
market and the technology to drive the
evolution of cyber security across the
economy and society.
National Cyber Security Strategy 2016