The UK is underestimating the severity of cyber-attacks from hostile states and criminal gangs, the head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will warn in his first major speech. Richard Horne, who leads GCHQ's cybersecurity agency, will highlight a trebling of severe incidents amid Russian aggression and Chinese sophistication.
In his address on Tuesday at the NCSC's London headquarters, Horne will cite increased frequency, sophistication and intensity of hostile cyber activity. He will point to Russian cyber aggression and recklessness, and China's highly sophisticated operations aimed at projecting influence beyond its borders. 'Despite all this, we believe the severity of the risk facing the UK is being widely underestimated,' he will say.
The NCSC's annual review reveals a significant rise in serious cyber incidents, with 430 requiring support between September 2023 and August 2024, up from 371 the previous year. Twelve attacks were at the top end of the scale, triple the number from the prior year. Horne will stress that there is no room for complacency and that defence of critical infrastructure, supply chains and the public sector must improve.
Recent ransomware attacks have hit high-profile UK targets, including the British Library and Synnovis, which manages blood tests for NHS trusts. The NCSC received 317 reports of ransomware activity last year, with 13 deemed nationally significant. Horne will note that these attacks show how entwined technology is with daily life and that cyber-attacks have human costs.
Ransomware gangs often originate from Russia or former Soviet states, with some, like Evil Corp, carrying out attacks against Nato countries at the behest of state intelligence. Horne will warn of a widening gap between the threat faced and defences in place, urging both public and private sectors to increase their pace to stay ahead of adversaries.
