China represents a ‘highly sophisticated and capable threat’, Britain’s cyber security chief will warn today.
Richard Horne, head of GCHQ‘s National Cyber Security Centre, will set out in an annual review the ‘significant threat’ Britain faces from hostile states, with some tech firms in China conducting a ‘malicious global cyber campaign targeting critical networks’.
The report reveals a 50 per cent increase in ‘significant’ cyber attacks in the UK in the last year, on the government, economy, essential services and the population.
Mr Horne will say: ‘We know that our adversaries are combining cyber means with physical methods in order to further their aims.
‘Just last month, agencies from 13 nations came together to warn that three technology companies based in China have conducted a malicious global cyber campaign targeting critical networks on behalf of their host nation.’
The NCSC recorded a 50 per cent increase in ‘highly significant’ incidents in the year to the end of August.
The UK is targeted by hostile states – either directly or through groups operating at arms-length from the authorities in Beijing, Moscow, Tehran and Pyongyang.
The NCSC’s annual review said: ‘State actors continue to present a significant threat to UK and global cyber security, aided by an evolving cyber intrusion sector.
Richard Horne, head of GCHQ ‘s National Cyber Security Centre, will set out in an annual review the ‘significant threat’ Britain faces from hostile states
It comes after attacks on household names including Marks and Spencer, Co-op and Jaguar Land Rover have shown the real world impact of cyberattacks
The UK is targeted by hostile states – either directly or through groups operating at arms-length from the authorities in Beijing , Moscow, Tehran and Pyongyang (file image)
‘As threats intensified, our incident management team faced a record number of nationally significant incidents.’
The review warns: ‘China continues to be a highly sophisticated and capable threat actor.’
Russia is a ‘capable and irresponsible threat actor in cyberspace’, while pro-Moscow ‘hacktivist’ groups operating outside formal state control are seeking to target the UK, Europe, US, and other Nato countries in retaliation for Western support for Ukraine and Israel.
Iran’s activity has largely been focused in the Middle East but the NCSC assesses it is ‘highly likely’ that UK entities could be potential targets for hackers.
North Korea’s ‘prolific and capable’ hacking activity mainly seeks to raise revenue, to collect intelligence and to offset the impact of international sanctions, while undercover IT workers from Kim Jong Un’s country are ‘almost certainly’ targeting UK firms by posing as third-country freelance staff.
The NCSC’s report comes with the risk posed by China to the UK under intense political scrutiny following the collapse of an alleged spying case and with a ruling due on Beijing’s application to build a massive new embassy in the heart of London.
The NCSC report warned that hackers – including those with links to Beijing – were using AI to improve the potency of their attacks.
Meanwhile bosses of the UK’s leading companies have been urged to take action to protect themselves from cyber attacks as the number of major incidents hit a record level.
It comes after attacks on household names including Marks and Spencer, Co-op and Jaguar Land Rover have shown the real world impact of cyberattacks, the NCSC said.
Mr Horne said: ‘Cyber security is now a matter of business survival and national resilience.
‘With over half the incidents handled by the NCSC deemed to be nationally significant, and a 50% rise in highly significant attacks on last year, our collective exposure to serious impacts is growing at an alarming pace.
‘The best way to defend against these attacks is for organisations to make themselves as hard a target as possible.
‘That demands urgency from every business leader: hesitation is a vulnerability, and the future of their business depends on the action they take today. The time to act is now.’
Share or comment on this article:
China represents a ‘highly sophisticated and capable threat’, Britain’s cyber security to warn