Central Sponsor for Information Assurance
From SR
Roles
The Central Sponsor for Information Assurance (CSIA) is a unit within the UK Government's Cabinet Office providing a central focus for Information Assurance (IA) activity across the UK.
The CSIA produces and maintains the National Information Assurance Strategy and, along with partner organisations, coordinates and sponsors work programmes to deliver on the strategy's recommendations.
The CSIA has a lead role in helping government to ensure the following strategic outcomes:
- Government is better able to deliver public services through the appropriate use of ICT
- The UK's national security is strengthened by protecting information and information systems at risk of compromise
- The UK's economic and social well-being is enhanced as government, businesses and citizens realise the full benefits of ICT.
The 2007 National Information Assurance Strategy outlines an approach for the UK in adopting information risk management by ensuring the right level of: professionalism, education and training; availability of IA products and services as well as compliance and adoption of standards.
Background
Information Assurance (IA) is the confidence that information systems will protect the information they carry and will function as they need to, when they need to, under the control of legitimate users.
Information is a critical asset to any organisation or individual, as such it should be safeguarded. The CSIA is responsibility for providing a strategic direction for the UK in managing risks to information. Our vision is to enable ‘a UK environment where citizens, businesses and government use and enjoy the full benefits of ICT with confidence’.
Structure
The CSIA works in partnership with the wider IA centre comprising the Cabinet Office, National Technical Authority for Information Assurance (CESG) and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure(CPNI).
The CSIA work with a number of government departments and organisations:
- Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI)
- National IA Technical Authority (CESG)
- Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
- Home Office
- Serious Organised Crime Agency, e-crime unit (SOCA)
- Information Commissioners Office (ICO)
