Lindy Cameron

Lindy Cameron CB OBE is a British civil servant who is chief executive officer at the National Cyber Security Centre. She was previously Director-General responsible for the Department for International Development’s programmes in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.[1] She was awarded an Order of the Bath in the 2020 Birthday Honours for her services to international development.

Lindy Cameron

CB OBE
Born
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma materTufts University
University of Oxford
EmployerNational Cyber Security Centre (United Kingdom)

Early life and education

Cameron was born in Belfast.[2] Her father was a founding member of the Corrymeela Community Peace and Reconciliation Centre.[3] She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Oxford, where she studied modern history.[4] She matriculated to Balliol College in 1991, before starting a course in international relations at Tufts University as a Fulbright scholar.[5][6] After graduating, Cameron joined McKinsey & Company, where she worked as a management consultant until 1998.[7]

Research and career

In 1998, Cameron joined the Department for International Development (DFID).[8] She served as head of both the DFID Country Offices in Iraq and Afghanistan.[3][9] She was awarded an Order of the British Empire for her services to Iraq in 2004.[8] Cameron was seconded to the Cabinet of the United Kingdom in 2007, where she worked on Trader and Development in Africa. She moved to the Foreign Office to lead the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team.[8][9] After completing a year long programme at the Royal College of Defence Studies, Cameron returned to DFID in 2011, where she was appointed director of the Middle East. She spent two years in this role before being promoted to director general,[6] overseeing a £4 billion budget.[8]

National Cyber Security Centre
The National Cyber Security Centre in London

Cameron was appointed chief executive officer of the National Cyber Security Centre in 2020, becoming the second person to hold such a position at the NCSC.[10][11][12][13] She succeeded the founding CEO, Ciaran Martin. Martin was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2020 Birthday Honours for his services to cyber security[14] and Cameron received the same honour for her services to international development.[15][16]

In March 2021 during Cameron's inaugural address as CEO, she warned of the UK's need to "be clear-eyed about Chinese ambition in technological advancement", citing China's "hostile activity in cyberspace".[17]

In June 2021 she spoke at the Royal United Services Institute. Cameron said that ransomware attacks were the major threat to United Kingdom cyber security.[18] She noted that it is possible to obtain ransomware as a service (RaaS) for either a flat fee or for a share of the profits.[19]

Lindy spoke at the 12th annual Tel Aviv Cyber Week in June 2022, identifying ransomware as the primary cyber threat to global security, which is both pervasive and quickly evolving.[20]

References
  1. "NCSC Announcement". NCSC.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  2. "DFID tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  3. Morbin, Tony (6 August 2020). "Who are the new heads at NCSC and MI6?". IT Security Guru. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  4. "NIO's Lindy Cameron to succeed Ciaran Martin as head of the NCSC". www.newstatesman.com. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  5. officer, Pub (20 August 2020). "Alumna is to become CEO of National Cyber Security Centre". Balliol College, University of Oxford. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  6. "Lindy Cameron – Networks of evidence and expertise for public policy". www.csap.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  7. "Former DfID and FCO official Lindy Cameron to lead National Cyber Security Centre". Civil Service World. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. Davies, Elwyn. "Closing session: The Future of Donor Agencies in Africa | The CSAE Blog". Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  9. "Lindy Cameron". GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  10. "Queen's welcomes new National Cyber Security Centre CEO, Lindy Cameron CB OBE". www.qub.ac.uk. 5 November 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  11. CISOMAG (7 August 2020). "Meet Lindy Cameron! Soon to be the First Woman CEO of NCSC". CISO MAG | Cyber Security Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  12. "New head of GCHQ cyber security agency announced". The Independent. 29 July 2020. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  13. "NCSC announces Lindy Cameron as new CEO". www.ncsc.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  14. Strasburg, Jenny (5 May 2020). "U.K. Cybersecurity Chief Pivots to New Coronavirus Threats". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  15. officer, Pub (6 January 2020). "New Year Honours 2020". Balliol College, University of Oxford. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  16. "Lindy CAMERON | Order of the Bath | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  17. Gordon, Robert Wren (30 March 2021). "UK Warns Against China Security Tech". IPVM. Retrieved 26 August 2021.(Subscription required.)
  18. "NCSC CEO warns that ransomware is key cyber threat". www.ncsc.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  19. "Ransomware is key cyber threat facing UK – cybersecurity boss". County Times. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  20. "Ransomware is the biggest global cyber threat. And the attacks are still evolving" Danny Palmer, ZDNET, June 28, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
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