A Knowledge Transfer Network with representatives from the private and public sectors will develop plans for better security

The Cyber Security Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) is a new UK IT security advisory and development body backed by the DTI, and will launch on 9 May.

Qinetiq, a defence, science and technology developer, will manage KTN’s network of IT security experts as they tackle a number of high-profile challenges. Qinetiq will receive funding and support from the DTI. Initially it will have a £1.8m set-up budget, but the DTI said it would make a further £10m available over the next few years.

How this £10m will be spent will be decided by the KTN steering committee - a panel of experts and industry figures including representatives from UK enterprises, IT developers, government and academia.

A Qinetiq spokesman said the committee had already set up four working groups, which have three months to investigate issues such as how to tackle identity management. “We can learn a lot from the financial institutions and how they manage it. They do ID management well, because it is commercially viable to them” he said.

At the end of this investigation period the groups will report back to the steering committee. “They might produce a whitepaper, best practice guidance, or they might task a firm with developing a solution,” said the spokesman. “The £10m from the DTI will allow these actions to be followed through.”

Qinetiq was keen to distance the KTN from other security groups, by emphasising its reliance on industry experts and their real-world experience. “We are not aiming to duplicate anything that is out there already,” said the spokesman. “There is a lack of focus at the top level of industry, we want to bring [experts] together, spot the security gaps, and identify where the shortfalls are.”