Rising Cyberspace Threats: UK's Escalating Battle Against Cyber Attacks

Britain's National Cyber Security Centre reports a 16% increase in cyberspace incidents in 2024. With 430 incidents handled, data exfiltration and ransomware pose significant threats. The agency warns of the growing sophistication of attacks and the potential misuse of AI, urging vigilance against cyber threats.

Britain faces mounting cyber threats, with a 16% rise in incidents this year, according to a government report. Richard Horne of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) highlighted the increased frequency, sophistication, and intensity of hostile cyber activities poised against UK infrastructure.

The NCSC's incident management team handled 430 cases in 2024, up from 371 the previous year. Data exfiltration featured in 347 incidents, while ransomware was involved in 20. In response, the team issued 542 tailored notifications to affected organizations to aid in mitigation, doubling last year's output.

Amidst these rising threats, the NCSC emphasized in its annual review the significant danger posed to critical sectors, including energy and health, and warned against underestimating the risks associated with state-led and criminal cyber operations, notably with the potential use of AI in future attacks.

(With inputs from agencies.)