Cyber defence funding worth £2 million available to suppliers

The automating cyber defence responses competition is looking for proof-of-concept research proposals for tools and techniques that support the planning and carrying out of automated responses to threats to Ministry of Defence (MOD) systems. An automated cyber defence response includes collecting information, identifying the attack, analysing potential courses of action and then responding.
 
The total funding available for this competition is £2 million, to be split equally over 2 phases each worth £1 million. The phase 1 competition will be launched at a CDE event in London on 9 September 2014. Phase 2 funding will then be awarded on a per-project basis to the most successful outputs of phase 1 funded projects.
 
Jim Pennycook, Head of Operations, CDE says: "Our armed forces rely on cyberspace to conduct successful operations and the £2 million funding available for this competition demonstrates MOD’s commitment to cyber defence. Automated responses are an essential part of cyber defence processes and this funding will allow us to support a range of innovative proposals in this area.”
 

The competition will be launched at an Innovation Network event held in London on 9 September. The event is open to industry and academia who wish to find out more about the automating cyber defence responses competition, and to those who wish to network with technical and military experts and discuss ideas which could benefit the UK’s defence and security.

Registration for this event is now open and further information on the automating cyber defence responses competition is available. The automating cyber defence responses competition closes on 23 October 2014.