UK government signs up to Cyber Resilience Partnership

Foreign secretary William Hague has signed the World Economic Forum's (WEF) new set of principles on Cyber Resilience on behalf of the UK government.

The principles are designed to help facilitate the safe growth and development of the internet and e-commerce by helping companies improve their cyber defences.

"We hope that signing the World Economic Forum Principles on Cyber Resilience will encourage business leaders all over the world to lead the way in creating shared principles for a resilient and thriving internet," said Hague.

"The internet has a critical role to play as an engine and facilitator of economic growth. Cyberspace must be secure and reliable so that it is trusted as a medium for doing business but at the same time free and open to evolve and innovate naturally.

"The WEF principles will help us all - individuals, companies and governments - in our shared aim to promote a safe and secure digital environment to do business."

As well as the UK, 70 companies and government bodies across 15 sectors and 25 countries have also signed the agreement.

Minister for cyber security at the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude welcomed the measures, claiming they will complement the UK's existing initiatives.

"In the UK we have put in place a transformative National Cyber Security Programme which hinges on a real and meaningful partnership with industry. We are very proud to be members in this global initiative," said Maude.

"We hope that our guidance for businesses and the Global Capacity Building Centre, which form part of our increasing efforts to make cyberspace a secure and stable environment in which businesses can grow".

Cyber security has become a hot topic throughout the EU following the discovery of numerous sophisticated cyber espionage campaigns. These have included the infamous Flame and Red October campaigns.

Prior to the UK signing the WEF Cyber Resilience Principles, European Commission vice president, Neelie Kroes cited the influx of new attacks as evidence EU laws around data breaches need to change.