Cyber-attacks rise by 50% in past year, UK security agency says

"In what officials described as a call to arms, national security officials and ministers are urging all organisations, from the smallest businesses to the largest employers, to draw up contingency plans for the eventuality that your IT infrastructure [is] crippled tomorrow and all your screens [go] blank. The NCSC, which is part of GCHQ, said highly sophisticated China, capable and irresponsible Russia, Iran and North Korea were the main state threats, in its annual review published on Tuesday."

"The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, the security minister, Dan Jarvis, and the technology and business secretaries, Liz Kendall and Peter Kyle have written to the leaders of hundreds of the largest British companies urging them to make cyber-resilience a board-level responsibility and warning that hostile cyber-activity in the UK has grown more intense, frequent and sophisticated. Don't be an easy target, said Anne Keast-Butler, the director of GCHQ. Prioritise cyber risk management, embed it into your governance and lead from the top."

"NCSC dealt with 429 cyber incidents in the year to September and nearly half were classed as of national significance more than doubling in the past year. Eighteen were highly significant, which means they had a serious impact on the government, essential services, the mass population or the economy. Most of those were ransomware incidents, including the attacks that significantly affected Marks & Spencer and the Co-op Group."

Highly significant cyber-attacks increased by 50% in the past year, driven largely by ransomware and greater societal dependence on technology. The NCSC, part of GCHQ, reported 429 cyber incidents in the year to September, with nearly half classed as of national significance, more than doubling from the previous year. Eighteen incidents were highly significant, causing serious impact on government, essential services, the public or the economy, including attacks affecting Marks & Spencer and the Co-op Group. National security officials identified China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as main state threats. Ministers urged organisations to adopt contingency plans and make cyber-resilience a board-level responsibility.

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