Cybersecurity is a critical issue for the UK Government and Public Sector, as these organizations hold sensitive information and provide essential services to the public.

The UK government and public sector have been making significant efforts to improve their cybersecurity posture and protect sensitive information. One important step in the recent past has been increased investment in cybersecurity, following a National Audit Office (NAO) report that the government has underspent £800 million on cybersecurity between 2015 and 2018.

The government has also established the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to provide guidance and support for government and public sector organizations. The NCSC works closely with government and public sector organizations to develop and implement effective cybersecurity solutions and protect against cyber threats.

Additionally, the government has introduced the Cyber Security Breaches Survey, which surveys businesses and organizations on their cybersecurity practices and experiences of cyber breaches, allowing organizations to learn from each other and improve their cybersecurity posture.

The private sector can play a significant role in supporting the UK government and public sector in their journey to improve cybersecurity.

Here are some ways in which the private sector can add value:

Sharing expertise and knowledge:

• Private companies have a wealth of experience and knowledge on cybersecurity best practices and can share this with government organizations to help them improve their cybersecurity posture.
• Private companies often have access to information about the latest cyber threats and can share this intelligence with government organizations to help them better protect against these threats.
• A report by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) found that only 45% of public sector organizations have regular access to threat intelligence.

Collaboration on solution development:

• Private companies can work with government organizations to develop and implement effective cybersecurity solutions that address the specific needs of the public sector.

Employee training and education:

• The private sector can assist in the development of cybersecurity education and training programs for government and public sector employees to help them stay up-to-date with the latest threats and best practices.
  
• Private companies can assist government organizations in meeting cybersecurity standards and compliance requirements, such as the Cyber Essentials scheme. A survey by the NCSC found that only 30% of public sector organizations are compliant with the Cyber Essentials scheme.
  
• Private companies can also assist in the development of cybersecurity education and training programs for government and public sector employees to help them stay up-to-date with the latest threats and best practices. A report by the NCSC found that only 37% of public sector organizations have provided cybersecurity awareness training to all employees in the past 12 months.

Cybersecurity as a service:

• Private companies can offer cybersecurity services to government organizations, allowing them to outsource the management and protection of their sensitive data to experts in the field.

Joint incident response:

• The private sector and the government can work together on incident response, by sharing information and best practices to improve the overall response time and effectiveness of incident management process.
  
• Private companies can work with government organizations to develop incident response plans and share best practices for responding to cyber incidents. A study by PwC found that only 41% of organizations have a well-rehearsed incident response plan in place.

An ideal public-private partnership in the cybersecurity area would involve a collaborative effort between government organizations and private companies to effectively address cyber threats and protect sensitive information. The government organizations could provide access to threat intelligence and classified information, and share their learnings on incident response and compliance with cybersecurity standards. The private sector could in turn do more in terms of access to their cutting edge technology, knowledge and expertise on the latest cyber threats and best practices for protecting against them.