The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has announced its new chief technical officer (CTO) as Ollie Whitehouse, a veteran of the cyber security sector.
Whitehouse has spent the past 27 years in the private sector, having most recently held the role of CTO at NCC Group.
Throughout his time at NCC Group Whitehouse stressed the importance of fruitful public-private partnerships when it comes to cyber security.
He praised the work of the NCSC in particular, describing it as a central player for the entire UK’s cyber resilience and the country’s place within the international cyber community. He also called for greater cross-sector information sharing, a goal he could pursue further in his new role.
"I’m honored to be starting as chief technology officer at the NCSC and look forward to supporting its world-class talent in their critical work keeping the UK safe online,” said Whitehouse.
“Having worked closely with the NCSC since its inception, I know how crucial its mission is and I am eager to contribute to our national security by addressing the collective challenges we face in maintaining our edge in cyberspace.”
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In 2017 and 2022 Whitehouse gave testimony to the UK Parliament Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. The session was centered on the threat posed to the UK by ransomware, and the dividing lines between groups motivated by profit and those with state backing.
Among the expert areas of discussion Whitehouse offered testimony on the rise of ransomware as a service (RaaS), as well as the motivations for threat actors and how smaller groups can obtain malware through the dark web.
Whitehouse will formally take up the role in October, at which point he will inherit responsibilities such as ongoing cyber support for Ukraine and incident response for smaller groups such as charities and other public sector organizations.
