Co-op and The Hacking Games join forces to prevent cyber crime

Globally, cyber crime is expected to cost £12 trillion this year and, with 69% of European teenagers having committed some form of cyber crime or online offence, the initiative is part of Co-op’s long-term response to that April cyber attack when the growing threat of cyber crime became a reality.

The new partnership will combine the Co-op’s reach into every post code area of the UK, community expertise, 38 Co-op Academy schools and its 6.5 million member base with The Hacking Games’ own extensive knowledge and expertise in the cyber crime domain.

Evolving landscape 

The cyber threat landscape is evolving at an alarming rate. As such, the need for skilled cyber security professionals has never been greater.

Already valued at £13.2 billion, the Government has identified cyber security as a key frontier industry with an exceptional potential for growth. Yet tens of thousands of cyber security jobs in the UK remain vacant. Around the world, 4.8 million cyber security roles remain unfilled. thereby posing significant risk to individuals, businesses and Governments.

There’s an urgent need to engage Gen Z and inspire them to pursue careers in cyber security, putting their cyber skills to ethical use as hackers for the greater good, rather than them being drawn down a more nefarious route that can cause real disruption to victims.

The Hacking Games is tackling this challenge head on by connecting the cyber security industry with unconventional talent. With over 50% of tech employees self-identifying as neurodivergent in a UK-wide study, the programme focuses on prevention by creating access to opportunity, building resilience and supporting better choices, notably so for those most at risk of exploitation.

Autistic people, in particular, are seven times more likely to thrive in structured problem-solving environments like cyber security, yet 71% of autistic adults in the UK are presently unemployed.

Creating opportunities

The Co-op wants to help prevent cyber crime before it starts by supporting young people to put their skills to good use. Co-op members have consistently highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for youngsters. This new partnership reflects the Co-op’s values-led approach to tackling the root causes of harm. By opening doors and widening access, it aims to reduce risk and offer real alternatives to those who might otherwise be led down the wrong path.

A long-term initiative with ambitions to develop into a large-scale national movement, activated through a wide-ranging and multi-channel approach, the partnership begins with an independent research study led by Professor Lusthaus of the University of Oxford, a leading expert on the social dimensions of cyber crime and hacking.

The findings will inform future prevention strategies, including a planned pilot within the Co-op Academies Trust, which supports 20,000 students across 38 schools. The ambition is to co-develop a longer-term programme, with the potential to expand to the wider UK education system, that supports earlier engagement, targeted student and parent training and inspires future pathways into ethical cyber careers.

Disruption and pressure 

Shirine Khoury-Haq, Group CEO at the Co-op, said: “We know first-hand what it feels like to be targeted by cyber crime. The disruption it causes, the pressure it puts on colleagues and the impact it has on the people and communities we serve are all substantial.”

Khoury-Haq continued: “At the Co-op, we cannot just stand back and hope it doesn’t happen again, either to ourselves or to others. Our members expect us to find a co-operative means of tackling the cause, not just the symptom. Our partnership with The Hacking Games will allow us to reach talented young people early, guide their skills towards protection rather than harm and open real paths into ethical employment. When we expand opportunity we reduce risk, while in parallel exerting a positive impact on society.”

Fergus Hay, co-founder and CEO of The Hacking Games, observed: “There’s an incredible amount of cyber talent out there, but many young people don’t see a path into the industry or simply don’t realise their skills can be used for the greater good. This partnership with the Co-op will help unlock that potential. It’s about giving people the opportunity to do something positive, showing that their talents are valued and creating a generation of ethical hackers to make the world safer.”

Destroying lives 

Security Minister Dan Jarvis explained: “Cyber crime destroys lives. The criminals carrying out these acts put the public and the economy at risk. That’s why we’re continuing to take the decisive action necessary to keep UK jobs and businesses safe.”

Jarvis went on to state: “With just over four-in-ten businesses reported having experienced any kind of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months, it’s vital we inspire the next generation of cyber experts to detect, disrupt and tackle cyber crime and support our economy to grow as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.”

In conclusion, Jarvis noted: “Dealing with this issue will take a whole-of-society approach and we applaud all efforts to ensure that young people are diverted away from illicit behaviour online.”

Greg Francis, cyber offender prevention consultant at 4D Cyber Security Ltd has welcomed the new partnership agreement involving the Co-op and The Hacking Games. He said: “Unlike their offline counterparts, young people entering cyber crime receive little to no deterrents and are often left to self-police their online activities. There’s a vital role for stakeholders – from parents and educators through to search engines, gaming platforms and the cyber security industry itself – to embrace digital responsibility and help young people make informed choices.”

The Hacking Games works across the UK to identify cyber talent and raise awareness of careers in cyber security, often through simulated ‘capture the flag’ arenas that mimic real-world ethical hacking environments.

The partnership with the Co-op builds on this model in a bid to explore how those experiences can be brought into schools and communities, with a specific focus on prevention, early intervention and awareness raising.