National Protective Security Authority
The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) is the UK government's National Technical Authority for physical and personnel protective security.
Find out what we do by watching the video below:
VO: The National Protective Security Authority.
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As UK’s National Technical Authority for physical and protective personnel security,
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our mission is to make the UK less vulnerable and more resilient to national security threats.
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Through our research and training, we will develop content and guidance
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that is more accessible to those with little or no security experience, alongside our advice for security professionals and technical experts.
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Our work helps keep our citizens safe, protects the economy and our science
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and technological advantage, as well as the infrastructure upon which daily life depends.
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The National Protective Security Authority - Building resilience to National Security threats
Text saying 'The National Protective Security Authority - Building resilience to National Security threats'
Who we are
The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) has absorbed the responsibilities of the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, but with a broader remit, reflecting the fact that the threats the UK faces today extend far beyond critical national infrastructure. NPSA is a part of the Security Service, MI5.
We are the UK’s National Technical Authority for physical and personnel protective security, maintaining our expertise in counter terrorism as well as state threats.
Our mission is: 'Building resilience to national security threats'.
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DG voice begins:
As the national security threats we face change so must our response.
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That’s why I’m pleased MI5 is launching the National Protective Security Authority.
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Through this new body, which builds on our long history of protective security expertise
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we will offer clear advice and guidance to a much wider range
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of organisations and businesses,
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helping them keep themselves
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and the country safe.
The threat landscape is changing.
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State actors are seeking to undermine our democracy through covert influence.
We see industrial-scale theft
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office workers*
of science and technology information
That is eroding our advantage and our national future.
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Self-initiated terrorists are hard to detect
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And capable of deadly effect.
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These shifting threats matter
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not just to our critical infrastructure,
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But much more widely,
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Across our tech sector, our universities, our research base.
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Touching many who may need to think about
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National security threats and risks
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for the first time.
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sitting down, sinister man behind them)*
We know these topics can be complex
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So we will share clear, practical and relevant advice
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That is grounded in our in-depth understanding of the threats.
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I'm looking forward to us,
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as MI5 and the new Authority, working closely with more organisations, businesses and industry to build a UK that is resilient in our changing world.
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security threats*
We do this, alongside our partners – the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and UK National Authority for Counter Eavesdropping (UK NACE) – by developing protective security guidance for government and industry, that is informed by intelligence and our unique understanding of the threat.
Our work helps keep our citizens safe, protects the economy and our science and technological advantage, as well as the infrastructure upon which daily life depends.
What we do
We help organisations understand the range of threats they and the UK face, for example from terrorism, espionage, and state actors, and importantly what they can do to minimise their risk through how they operate day to day.
We recognise that the protective security needs, resources and understanding of our customer base vary significantly and we develop advice and guidance that is scalable to meet these diverse security requirements. This content and guidance is more accessible to those with no or limited security background, alongside our advice for security professionals and technical experts.
Through our expanded campaigns, training, guidance, and advice offering, we help organisations of all sizes and sectors to recognise, identify and mitigate security risks by implementing proportionate and practical protective security measures.
We embrace digital opportunities and technology that help us reach more organisations and sectors with our guidance, training and advice products.
How we do this
Our guidance, training, and advice is derived from our world-leading research and development programme, and by MI5’s expert understanding of the threat. We deliver our advice primarily through our campaigns and online self-service guidance and advice offering at www.npsa.gov.uk, alongside our in-person industry engagement.
We work closely with key partners which includes Government departments, the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) and the police.
NPSA is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). EDI is integral to our culture and working practices, as well as our protective security efforts. We also work closely with key partners to promote greater EDI in the wider security profession.
NPSA's commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
NPSA is committed to supporting EDI within our organisation and developing a workforce with a range of backgrounds, identities, education and experience. Promoting EDI isn’t just about doing the right thing, but goes to the heart of what we exist to do. The success of our cutting-edge protective security advice as a National Technical Authority depends on our ability to draw on the best people, with the best skills, and to engage with and understand our customers.
We also work closely with partners to promote greater EDI in the wider security profession. It is widely recognised that improving EDI is crucial for the success and sustainability of the profession. With greater EDI we can ensure that the profession both attracts and retains a diverse workforce, with fair treatment and opportunity for all. In doing so, we create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Our history
Since the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure was established in 2007, we have focussed primarily on counter terrorism (CT) threats to the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), developing world-leading products, guidance, and advice in its role as the National Technical Authority on Physical and Personnel protective security.
Since 2007, both the threats and the sectors where these threats manifest themselves have evolved. The attack types from terrorism have expanded and there has been an emergence of low sophisticated attacks from self-initiated terrorists.
Today the UK’s strategic advantage, through our science and technology, is as much under threat from theft by state actors, as our critical national infrastructure and publicly accessible locations are from terrorist attack. Our national security and economic security are increasingly intertwined through the state threats we face.
Like CPNI, NPSA will work alongside the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) to target harden the UK's economy, infrastructure, industries and crowded places.
Now the National Protective Security Authority, we continue to be UK’s National Technical Authority for physical and personnel protective security, and maintain an expertise in CT as well as state threats.