Supermarket chain the Co-op has announce a new partnership with social impact business The Hacking Games designed to identify cyber talent early on and light a pathway to ethical work.
The high street chain was one of several retailers hit by a DragonForce ransomware attack back in spring resulting in data loss – today confirmed as impacting its 6.5 million members – and operational disruption that affected some stores for weeks.
Four individuals were recently arrested in the UK in connection with the incident: two 19-year-olds, a 17-year-old and a 20-year-old.
Co-op group CEO, Shirine Khoury-Haq, said the firm is teaming up with The Hacking Games because it knows firsthand the disruption that such attacks can have on businesses and communities.
Read more on the Co-op attack: M&S and Co-op Hacks Classified as Single Cyber Event
“At Co-op, we can’t just stand back and hope it doesn’t happen again – to us or to others. Our members expect us to find a cooperative means of tackling the cause, not just the symptom,” she added.
“Our partnership with The Hacking Games lets us reach talented young people early, guide their skills toward protection rather than harm, and open real paths into ethical work. When we expand opportunity we reduce risk, while having a positive impact on society.”
The focus of the partnership is on “prevention, early intervention and awareness raising.”
It will begin with an independent research study led by Oxford University professor Jonathan Lusthaus. The findings of the study will be used to inform a pilot within schools group the Co-op Academies Trust, which supports 20,000 students across dozens of schools.
The aim is to develop a program that could one day be rolled out nationwide, to focus on earlier engagement, and targeted student and parent training. It would likely use The Hacking Games’ experience running capture the flag and other events to inspire young neurodivergent people into ethical cyber careers.
The Co-op cited figures that 69% of European teenagers have committed some form of cybercrime or online offence, and that over 50% of tech employees self-identify as neurodivergent.
The UK is sorely in need of more cyber talent, as are most Western countries. According to the ISC2, the country needs over 70,000 more professionals to plug the gap between supply and demand.
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