Hackers, gamers and tech workers: Join your country's army

THE BRITSH GOVERNMENT has kept its promise to build a Cyber Reserve to reinforce the UK's online defences against security threats and cyber crime.

To be called the Joint Cyber Reserve (JCR), the unit was announced by the UK government last year and will bring in computer experts to help protect critical private and government computer networks from attacks.

British MP and defence secretary Philip Hammond announced in a statement that the reserve is "a response to the growing cyber threat" and will cover a range of military cyber tactics, including a "strike capability" to augment the UK's military prowess.

"Increasingly, our defence budget is being invested in high-end capabilities such as cyber and intelligence and surveillance assets to ensure we can keep the country safe," Hammond said. "The Cyber Reserves will be an essential part of ensuring we defend our national security in cyberspace.

"This is an exciting opportunity for internet experts in industry to put their skills to good use for the nation, protecting our vital computer systems and capabilities."

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the creation of the Joint Cyber Reserve will "represent a significant increase in the number of reservists employed in cyber and information assurance", with its members providing support to the Joint Cyber Unit in Corsham and the Joint Cyber Unit in Cheltenham, as well as other information assurance units across defence.

Recruitment for the Joint Cyber Reserve is to begin sometime in October, the MoD said, reaching for those who are leaving the Armed Forces, current and former reservists "with the necessary skills", and those with technical knowledge, skills and experience to work in "this highly specialised area" even with no previous military experience.

We're all for the government turning to IT experts for its cyber reserves, but hopefully they're a step up from Moss and Roy. µ

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