Information security agency plans to reform charging regime for better focus on cyber security priorities
CESG is reducing some of its charges to government customers from the new financial year as part of efforts to achieve a “better focus” on national security priorities.
The information security arm of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), said the changes follow the Strategic Defence and Security Review and announcement of plans to set up a National Cyber Centre.
It plans to stop recovering full costs for information assurance consultancy and advice for government customers, or in pursuance of national security policies. Similar plans exist for its CESG Assisted Products Service (CAPS), which evaluates high grade products for use by government, and Tempest, which helps customers understand the level of unintended signals from ICT equipment.
For some services the relevant work from the beginning of the 2016-17 financial year will not be invoiced, and any already in progress that runs into next year will only be invoiced for work done until the end of 2015-16. This will also apply to information assurance consultancy, CAPS pre-evaluation consultancy and cryptographic evaluation, and advice for the Tempest certification scheme.
Discussions
In the case of CAPS in-service assurance, the CESG Platform Tempest Accrediation Scheme and the formal Tempest certification scheme, the organisation is planning to discuss proposed changes to existing contracts with customers.
A CESG spokesperson said: “As cyber security continues to grow in importance across government, the public sector as a whole and beyond; this change will help us ensure that our specialist teams remain focused on the highest priority work, helping to keep the nation safe and secure.
“Where appropriate, the change will apply to CESG's work with local government and other public sector organisations."
Image: GCHQ by Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
