CESG has existed in one form or another
for the past 80 years. Its origins grew out of the dangers inherent in poor
radio communications security that became apparent during World War I. As a
result of severe security compromises that were experienced by British forces
during that war, the British government decided to set up a special
organisation both to study the methods of cipher communications of foreign
powers and to advise on the security of British codes and ciphers.
In
1919, following a Cabinet decision, the Government Code and Cipher School
(GC&CS) was established (which was later to become the Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)). The GC&CS was originally set up under
the civil administration of the Admiralty, but with the decline in military
signal traffic after the end of World War I, it was then placed under the
administrative responsibility of the Foreign Office in 1922.
The
communications security part of the GC&CS could only advise on the use of
the various cipher systems, but had no authority to mandate government
departments or the services to use those ciphers and procedures which were
really secure. This weakness was recognised during World War II, and in 1944
clearer lines of authority were established, with the communications security
section of the GC&CS becoming responsible to a Cipher Policy Board.
In the early 1950s, a review of the Cipher Policy Board's organisation and
terms of reference led to the creation of a new agency, the London
Communications Security Agency (LCSA). The LCSA now had its own Director but
still remained administratively under what was by then GCHQ.
In 1965,
the LCSA became the Communications-Electronics Security Department (CESD),
still based primarily in London, although parts were now co-located with GCHQ
in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. In 1969, CESD formally merged organisationally
with GCHQ and was renamed the Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG).
In 1978 the last London elements of CESG moved to Cheltenham, where it has
remained to the present.
One of the more significant changes to CESG
since the late 70's has been the move to operating on a cost-recovery basis,
rather than being funded directly by central government. Since 1997, CESG now
charges for most of the information security/information assurance services it
offers.
Today Government turns to CESG as its National Technical
Authority for advice and services to protect its voice and data networks. In
this network enabled environment, Communications-Electronics Security no longer
adequately describes the full extent of the organisations work, so in 2002 it
was decided to drop the expanded name. The title CESG was retained as it has an
excellent reputation as an independent technical organisation with a critical
role in keeping the Government's IT systems safe.
In October 2003 CESG
moved into the new GCHQ/CESG accommodation, which co-locates both under one
roof for the first time in the history of both organisations
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