UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Digital Security by Design (DSbD) challenge and Digital Catapult have launched a new Technology Access Programme.

UKRI describes itself as the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, with a budget of more than £8 billion. DSbD is an initiative supported by the UK government which is based on collaboration between academia, industry, and government to transform digital technology designed to “create a resilient, and secure foundation for a safer future”.

The new initiative is designed for developers and organisations to experiment with DSbD technologies to block cyber vulnerabilities, including Arm’s Morello Board and the University of Cambridge’s secure computer architecture, CHERI.

Developed by Arm, the Morello Board aims to introduce a new approach to blocking security vulnerabilities in modern computer systems. The Morello board is a real-world test platform for the Morello prototype architecture developed by Arm, which is based on the University of Cambridge’s secure computer architecture, CHERI.

“There is a continuous escalation in cyber-crime and the cybersecurity response,” said John Goodacre, challenge director for Digital Security by Design. “DSbD aims to stimulate a fundamental change in technology so that the digital world can be secure by design with data protected by default.

“I’m pleased to support the DSbD Technology Access Programme to give businesses the opportunity to understand how their products and services can benefit, blocking vulnerabilities so that their operations and customers can be better protected against the growing costs and harm of a cyber-attack.”

The programme will allow participating organisations to access this early-stage software and prototype hardware technology to investigate in their own R&D teams and validate the core capabilities and benefits.

The programme will be run by the Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology. UKRI through the DSbD Challenge awarded the Digital Catapult £2 million of funding to “provide the UK technology community with a series of events and workshops and give participating businesses and developers the opportunity to get hands-on experience of the new technologies”.

"In today's highly competitive global marketplace, companies need to find new ways of reducing security vulnerabilities in vital systems, devices, vehicles and public infrastructure,” said Jeremy Silver, chief executive, Digital Catapult. “The DSbD innovations in cybersecurity have the potential to provide significant new levels of protection for industrial computer systems and widely used devices.

“Digital Catapult is excited to lead the Technology Access Programme, an important strand of work which will provide hands-on opportunities for developers and organisations to experiment with these digital security technologies and provide vital feedback to help shape a safer future.”

Share Story: