Threat Management, Threat Intelligence, Security Strategy, Plan, Budget

Brexit cybersecurity implications hold steady during transition period

Almost three years after UK citizens voted to leave the European Union the day has arrived when Brexit will take place, but the change is not likely to have an immediate direct impact on that nation’s cybersecurity situation.

Two factors will help the cyber status quo be maintained. First there is a transition period in place until December 2020 with the possibility of it being extended upon agreement from both sides. During this time most agreements currently in place will remain so, with the most visible change being the UK will lose its membership of the EU's political institutions, including the European Parliament and European Commission the day the transition period begins. However, it will have to follow EU rules and regulations.

The most obvious issue at hand is GDPR, but UK firms, like those around the world, will have to work within its framework if they are doing business with firms or customers located in the EU.

There are some non-security issues that UK business and its tech sector that Brexit could impact, said Ritam Gandhi, director and founder of Studio Graphene. His concerns mainly pertain to the ability of these institutions to hire staff.

“After all, 69 percent of tech start-ups fear that Brexit will hinder their ability to hire the staff they need to help their business grow, according to Studio Graphene. So, as the UK and EU try to make sense of their new relationship, tech businesses must take steps to future-proof their strategies,” he said.

Such corrective steps include opening a new office abroad or upskilling existing employees.

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