UK’s First National Security Operations Center Established in Wales

The Welsh government has established a national security operations centre (SOC) called CymruSOC. This SOC, located in Merthyr Tydfil, will provide local authorities and fire and rescue services in Wales with access to high-level security services, including threat monitoring and incident response. Managed security services provider Socura will run the centre for an initial three-year contract. CymruSOC has been created to ensure that key organizations can continue providing critical services without disruption in the event of an attack. It aims to protect 60,000 public sector employees in Wales and safeguard the majority of the Welsh population from cyber threats. The SOC will also receive threat intelligence from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). With 18 out of 22 Welsh local authorities already signed up, CymruSOC is the first national-level SOC in the UK. The establishment of CymruSOC is part of Wales’ Cyber Action Plan, which aims to enhance cyber resilience and preparedness in the country. The plan focuses on security and resilience, the economy, skills development, and the development of Wales as a cyber innovation hub.