WMG's Cyber Security Centre at the University of Warwick is to host a million pound programme designed to enhance the cyber security of many of our everyday technologies and tools by ensuring that the software that underpins them is more trustworthy. A team in the UK government funded Trustworthy Software Initiative will work alongside WMG Cyber Security researchers at the University of Warwick over the next two years in a programme to “Make Software Better.”

Professor Tim Watson, the Director of WMG's Cyber Security Centre, welcomed the opportunity to work with and support this crucial programme. He said:

Virtually every aspect of our lives is touched by information technology running a diverse range of software; from the way we listen to music, the phones we carry with us at all times, the vehicles we drive, to the computers that support the information economy. The trend to embed software in everyday items is accelerating. However there are concerns about the quality of the software that underpins all of this, and we have not seen significant improvements.”

Tony Dyhouse, Knowledge Transfer Director at TSI said:

Our daily lives and industrial processes are now heavily reliant on a wide range of underpinning software. Yet the root cause of many cyber security problems is untrustworthy software, caused by vulnerabilities relating to safety, reliability, availability, resilience and security. There is a pressing need to address the quality and robustness of our software – to establish its trustworthiness. This is the mission of the Trustworthy Software Initiative, which is supported and funded through the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP). We have made a significant start in the UK by documenting, for first time, the overall principles for effective software trustworthiness in PAS 754:2014 Software trustworthiness – Governance and management – Specification.

"TSI is working with the higher education community and professional bodies to raise awareness of this, and to support the development of attractive teaching and learning materials for use in undergraduate degrees, and in Continuous Professional Development, which will help to promote better understanding of securing trustworthiness. TSI is currently engaged with 25 higher education institutions and that number will grow as the projects underway mature and develop.

"We are looking forward to working closely with colleagues from WMG's Cyber Security Centre to help make everyone’s expanding use of technology more reliable and secure.”

Note for Editors:

WMG's Cyber Security Centre (CSC) focuses its research on constructive innovation, on the rigorous foundational thinking needed to forge new understanding of the nature of the cyber environment. Novel and transformative research approaches contribute to protecting the human experience within the cyber environment. The Centre focuses on delivering transformative solutions for governments and industry, and for individuals and communities; regionally, nationally and globally. The CSC team has recognised expertise in cyber security, especially within government, defence and the law enforcement communities. Areas of focus include cyber-physical systems, vehicle cyber security, smart cities, digital forensics, advanced network defence, and counterfeit protection.

For further information please contact:

Professor Tim Watson
Director, Cyber Security Centre
WMG, University of Warwick
Coventry, CV4 7AL
United Kingdom
Tel: 02476 751633
email: tw@warwick.ac.uk

or

Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Policy
University of Warwick
Tel UK: 024 76523708 office
07767 655860 mobile
Tel Overseas: +44 (0)24 76523708 office
+44 (0)7767 655860 mobile/cell
Email: p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk

PR223 9th September 2014