Digital security by design

**Digital security by design** **Completed area of investment and support** This area is complete and will have no future activity. The Digital Security by Design (DSbD) challenge funds business and researchers to update the foundation of the insecure digital computing infrastructure by creating a new, more secure hardware and software ecosystem. **The scope and what we're doing** The Digital Security by Design (DSbD) programme, managed by UKRI, focused on bolstering the security of the UK’s digital computing infrastructure. Its scope encompassed several key areas: - Development of Novel CHERI Hardware Architecture: this involved the creation of an updated hardware architecture, culminating in a physical prototype board. - Software and System Development Tools: the programme also included the development of the necessary software and system development tools to operate on this new hardware architecture. - Industry Demonstrations: a crucial aspect was the demonstration of the developed technology within various industry sectors to showcase its practical application and impact. These sectors included automotive, e-commerce, defence, telecoms, and operational technologies. **Why we're doing it** Cybersecurity is a major UK government strategic priority. The World Economic Forum risks report 2018 lists data fraud or theft and cyber-attacks as a key global risk. Through collaboration between academia, industry and government, these new capabilities have paved the way that business and people can use and trust technology. DSbD has enabled a more trustworthy digital environment, in which only expected access to data and operations are permitted while limiting the impact of vulnerabilities. DSbD has promoted a mindset change around cyber security, giving the freedom to learn, trade, play, automate and collaborate safely. Cybersecurity as it currently exists, the constant arms race of monitoring and patching of vulnerabilities against exploitation, is unsustainable. For that reason, the challenge existed to ensure the digital world is secure by default and by design including at the hardware level. The [UK’s?national cyber strategy](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cyber-strategy-2022)?recognised this need and therefore included a technology pillar to focus on more secure hardware with a significant part dedicated to UKRI’s DSbD programme. The government also referenced this approach as part of the?[national semiconductor strategy](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-semiconductor-strategy)?with a push towards expanding international outreach to ensure the challenge of supporting new technology to adoption was supported globally.