02 Jun 2023

techUK launches Quantum Security Working group to address cyber readiness for the new quantum age

Last month techUK held an event titled Cybersecurity in a quantum world: Preparing for the new cyber age.

This session was the beginning of a wider conversation within techUK membership around the development of a Quantum Security Working Group. With member support techUK will advocate for a greater focus on cyber resilience in the UK as a route to strengthening public-private partnership around quantum security. If joining this group is of interest, please register your interest now.

Speaking during the workshop included:

Chris Parker, Director, Government (Cybersecurity), Fortinet (CHAIR)
Steve Beeching, SVP Government Relations, Arqit
Zygmunt A Lozinski, Global Industries Senior Technical Staff Member and Quantum Ambassador, IBM
Annika Moslein, Technical Project Manager, Quantum Dice

A full readout of the session can be accessed below, with topics including:

Opportunity for the UK
Key Challenges
International Competitiveness
UK Government Role
Need for building awareness and mythbusting

techUK have identified 5 key actions following the meeting:

techUK to set up Quantum Security Working Group
techUK to develop short explainer/guidance on Quantum Security for wider audience, focusing on mythbusting and awareness raising.
techUK to map key stakeholders from UK Government Departments, NCSC and NPSA to engage and explore using WG as a route to strengthening public-private partnership around quantum security.
techUK to engage directly with NCSC to explore their plans on this topic and to invite them to brief members on a regular basis for two-way exchange.
Finally, the WG will look to map its activity and actions to the aims and objectives of both the National Cyber Strategy and National Quantum Strategy.

The next meeting of the Working Group will be confirmed in due course.

Members are able to join the working group here.

Laura Foster

Head of Technology and Innovation, techUK

Laura is techUK’s Head of Programme for Technology and Innovation.

She supports the application and expansion of emerging technologies, including Quantum Computing, High-Performance Computing, AR/VR/XR and Edge technologies, across the UK. As part of this, she works alongside techUK members and UK Government to champion long-term and sustainable innovation policy that will ensure the UK is a pioneer in science and technology

Before joining techUK, Laura worked internationally as a conference researcher and producer covering enterprise adoption of emerging technologies. This included being part of the strategic team at London Tech Week.

Laura has a degree in History (BA Hons) from Durham University, focussing on regional social history. Outside of work she loves reading, travelling and supporting rugby team St. Helens, where she is from.

Email:: [email protected]
LinkedIn:: www.linkedin.com/in/lauraalicefoster

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Dan Patefield

Head of Cyber and National Security, techUK

Dan leads the techUK Cyber Security programme, having originally joined techUK in August 2017 as a Programme Manager working across the Cyber and Defence programmes. He is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security eco-system, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Dan also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and Governmnet conduit for supporting growth across the sector. A key focus of his work is to strengthen the public-private partnership across cyber security to support further development of UK cyber security policy.

Before joining techUK he worked as Forum Lead for the Westminster eForum. In this role he had a focus on the technology and telecoms space, on issues ranging from Broadband and Mobile Infrastructure, the Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Data and diversity in tech. Dan has a BA in History from the University of Liverpool.

Email:: [email protected]
Phone:: 020 7331 2165

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Cyber Security Programme

The Cyber Security Programme provides a channel for our industry to engage with commercial and government partners to support growth in this vital sector, which underpins and enables all organisations. The programme brings together industry and government to overcome the joint challenges the sector faces and to pursue key opportunities to ensure the UK remains a leading cyber nation, including on issues such as the developing threat, bridging the skills gap and secure-by-design.

Learn more