JAPANESE cyber security firm Nihon Cyber Defence (NCD) has strengthened its Belfast operation by moving to a new office base in the city.
NCD has established its European headquarters at Law Society House on Belfast’s Victoria Street, which includes a new security operations centre for monitoring and managing cyber incidents.
It comes as the Tokyo-headquartered company was awarded an upgraded status by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
NCD joins a group of companies that NCSC, part of GCHQ, recommends as providers of cyber incident response services.
Earlier this year NCD partnered with BT to become its supplier of incident management services to the north’s civil service.
Since the start of this year NCD has opened offices in Manchester, Dublin and most recently in Virginia in the US.
NCD’s managing director for Europe, Dougie Grant, said: “The award of assured service provider from NCSC is further validation of the quality of NCD’s team and the services we provide to clients around the world.
"There has been an acceleration globally in the volume and variety of cyber-attacks facing all types of organisations, so there has never been a greater need for expert advice on how to identify and assess risks and to prevent and manage incidents.
"Our team in Belfast continues to grow and it is our intention to recruit up to 12 new staff in the year ahead.”