Armed Forces to Strengthen Online Security by Enlisting ‘Cyber Warriors’
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has introduced a new initiative known as the “cyber pipeline” to expedite training for recruits specializing in cyber defence. This decision came after the Ministry of Defence reported defending British military networks against over 90,000 cyber attacks in a span of two years.
In a bid to increase the number of cyber professionals swiftly, the MoD revealed that the basic training duration for recruits in this field will be reduced from 10 weeks to one month. Subsequently, these recruits, dubbed “cyber warriors” by Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, will undergo three months of specialized training at the Defence Cyber Academy in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire.
Trained personnel are slated to transition to operational roles by the end of 2025. They will be stationed either at the Defence Digital headquarters in MoD Corsham, Wiltshire, safeguarding military networks, or at the National Cyber Force in Samlesbury, Lancashire, engaged in cyber operations to neutralize online threats.
The recruitment pathways will cater to aspiring cyber professionals and individuals with existing skill sets, with starting salaries for recruits set at £40,000 per year, one of the highest within the armed forces. Initially, recruitment for these cyber roles will be managed through the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, with the Army joining subsequent recruitment campaigns in 2026.
Furthermore, the independent Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) unveiled a new system on Thursday to categorize cyber events affecting organizations based on potential financial impacts exceeding £100 million. These events, encompassing cyber attacks and IT outages, will be classified on a severity scale ranging from one (least severe) to five (most severe).
Chairman of the CMC’s Technical Committee and former Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Ciaran Martin expressed confidence in the efficacy of the new system to enhance response and recovery capabilities. The Technical Committee will assign a ranking to the event, which will be disclosed by the CMC along with a comprehensive report. This information will aid organizations in comprehending the event’s repercussions, facilitating recovery, mitigation, and bolstering cyber resilience and response strategies.
