Britain is “vastly underestimating” the threat of cyber attacks from Russia and China after serious incidents tripled in a year, according to a new report.
Richard Horne, director of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), will today warn of the threat posed by online “aggression and recklessness” from Russia and “highly sophisticated” Chinese hackers.
In his first major speech, the cyber security chief will highlight the “widening gap” between the threats the UK faces from state-backed hackers and criminals and the defenses in place to protect businesses and public services. .
It comes after the NCSC’s annual report revealed a three-fold increase in the most serious cyber incidents affecting the UK in 2023-24.
Horne is expected to say: “What has struck me more than anything else since I took command of the NCSC is the widening gap between the exposure and threat we face and the defenses that exist to protect us.”
“And what is equally clear to me is that we all need to increase the pace at which we work to stay ahead of our adversaries…
‘We can see how cyber attacks are becoming increasingly important to Russian actors, along with sabotage threats to physical security.
“Meanwhile, China remains a highly sophisticated cyber actor, with increasing ambition to project its influence beyond its borders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. The report describes Russia as a “capable, motivated and irresponsible threat actor in cyberspace” that “routinely seeks to compromise the systems of NATO states.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping. Horne will warn that “China remains a highly sophisticated cyber actor, with a growing ambition to project its influence beyond its borders.”
Richard Horne, head of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), will today warn of the threat posed by online “aggression and recklessness” from Russia and “highly sophisticated” Chinese hackers.
GCHQ in Cheltenham. In his first major speech, the cyber security chief will highlight the “widening gap” between the threats the UK faces from state-backed hackers and criminals.
“And yet, despite all this, we believe the severity of the risk facing the UK is being widely underestimated.”
Speaking at the NCSC headquarters in London, he will say: ‘There is no room for complacency about the seriousness of state-led threats or the volume of the threat posed by cybercriminals.
“The defense and resilience of critical infrastructure, supply chains, the public sector and our broader economy must improve.”
The report describes Russia as a “capable, motivated and irresponsible threat actor in cyberspace” that “routinely seeks to compromise the systems of NATO states.”
The NCSC received 1,957 reports of cyber attacks in the last year, including 89 incidents “of national significance.” Of those, 12 were at the higher end of the scale and were more serious in nature, three times more than last year.