Government Agrees significant expansion of the National Cyber Security Centre

• 20 additional posts created in response to cyber security threats

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan T.D. and Minister of State with special responsibility for Communications and the Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth, T.D. are pleased to announce that the Government has agreed to an expansion of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) from 25 to 45 staff over the next 18 months, and to 70 within 5 years. The associated budgetary increase for the NCSC for 2022 is estimated at €2.5m. A significant package of other measures to further strengthen the capacity of the NCSC to respond to the growing threat from cyber criminals was agreed by Government today, including the development of legislation to establish the NCSC on a statutory basis with a set of formal powers and a legal mandate.

The overall package of measures approved includes:

• That the role of Director of the NCSC be re-advertised at a salary of €184K (Deputy Secretary scale) to reflect the scale and importance of the role and to attract experienced candidates.
• The Director will have responsibility for building and leading the NCSC, further developing the operational capacity and expertise of the NCSC and supporting the development of the policy and legislative framework relating to cyber security in the State.
• A single HQ for the NCSC which will provide the required security infrastructure and capacity. The NCSC will be accommodated within the Department's new Headquarters (HQ) in Beggars Bush.
• Developing a 5 year technology strategy for the NCSC that scopes its internal requirements, and its relationship with academia and industry.
• In addition to the recruitment of 20 additional fulltime roles, a cyber security graduate training programme will be initiated by the NCSC in 2021, with four computer science graduates recruited each year on contracts of three years duration.

Minister Ryan said;

'This investment marks a step change in the evolution of the National Cyber Security Centre. The expansion we are announcing today will enable the organisation further develop its competence and capacity to help defend and protect IT systems and our key services into the future.

As Ireland is a leading digital economy, protecting the cyber security of Government IT and critical national infrastructure is vital. The NCSC has an important role in gathering intelligence on cyber threats and in sharing that information and providing expert guidance. The Government is committed to ensuring that the NCSC has the appropriate level of resourcing to enable it deliver on its important mandate'

Minister Smyth commented that;

'today's positive action by Government is being taken against the backdrop of a steady increase in the number of significant cyber incidents in the past number of years, including the recent incidents affecting the HSE and other healthcare providers internationally, as well as Colonial Pipeline in the US, and more recently, Kaseya.

This trend is reflected across the globe, with many Governments and supranational organisations, such as the EU and UN, recognising that the threat of malicious cyber incidents can have potentially devastating security, economic, social, and humanitarian consequences. While individual organisations and citizens need to take appropriate steps to protect themselves in an online world, today's decision will ensure that NCSC has the appropriate mandate and resources to continue to support them.'

The government decision today follows recommendations made by Minister Ryan on receipt of a Capacity Review of the NCSC by an independent third party, which was already underway before the recent HSE cyberattack.

The capacity review was one of the measures in the National Cyber Security Strategy published in late 2019 which set out a broad range of measures to be taken to improve the security of public and private IT systems in the State.

Notes to the Editor

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was established by Government Decision in July 2011 with a broad remit across the cyber security of Government ICT and critical national infrastructure.

The NCSC team is made up of highly skilled, specialist technical civilian staff, with skillsets in areas such as computer science, software engineering, malware analysis, information technology forensics, cryptography, software development, and cyber security compliance, as well as general cyber security skills. In recent years there has been a relatively substantial increase in resourcing of the NCSC. Operational staffing levels have been increased from 7 at the end of 2016 to 25 at the start of 2021. In addition to payroll costs, the NCSC has funding of €5.1 million available to it this year, compared with €1.7 million in 2020.

The NCSC acts as a central contact point in the event of a government or nation-wide cyber security incident affecting the State. It also coordinates and supports the response to significant incidents, with the lead role being taken by the entity affected by the incident. The Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), which is internationally accredited, is the team within the NCSC that leads in responding to cyber security incidents.

Information sharing is a key component of the work of the NCSC whereby it acts a source of expert advice and guidance and as a 'clearing house' for information. The NCSC takes in threat intelligence data, trends and risks data, from national, global and local sources, analyses them, and makes sure that those organisations that need that data get it, either to protect their own systems, or to assist them in carrying out their statutory roles. The NCSC is in regular communication with international counterparts and the exchange of information is very much a two-way street.

The NCSC also supports public bodies, operators of essential services and digital service providers to improve their cyber security posture and fulfil their obligations under the European Network and Information Security Directive. The NCSC takes a very proactive role to support these bodies in continually building their cyber security resilience through a range of initiatives, including by hosting seminars and workshops. The NCSC has also established a Government IT Security Forum with members from Government Departments, Local Government and key agencies. The Forum facilitates information sharing on best practices and is supporting the development of an ICT security baseline standard for use by all Public Service bodies. The NCSC also participates in a number of cross-Government working groups, overseeing specific projects, including the Electoral Reform Project Steering Group and the Cyber Education Working Group.

The NCSC works collaboratively with the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána and the National Security Analysis Centre (NSAC) in the Department of the Taoiseach. It also works closely with the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) in the Department of Defence and leads with respect to a Threat Sharing Group comprising senior private sector cyber security specialists, critical infrastructure operators, the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána.

The NCSC also engages with the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCoE) in Tallinn. In 2019, Ireland applied to join the CCDCoE as a Contributing Participant and to deploy a national expert to the Centre. By joining the Centre, Ireland gains access to the latest technology, knowledge and international best practice in terms of cyber defence and resilience. A member of Ireland's Defence Forces has been seconded to the Centre for a term of 2 years.