UK Cybersecurity Chief Warns of Escalating Threats In Cyberspace

Britain’s cyber security chief has raised alarms over a significant rise in hostile cyber activity across the UK, with incidents escalating by 16% in 2024 compared to the previous year, as reported on Tuesday by Reuters.

Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), highlighted the growing frequency, sophistication, and intensity of cyber threats.

“Actors are increasingly using our technology dependence against us, seeking to cause maximum disruption and destruction,” Horne is expected to say in a speech later today, according to a government agency statement, reported on Reuters.

The NCSC’s incident management team handled 430 cyber incidents in 2024, up from 371 in 2023, reported Reuters.

Of these, 347 cases involved data exfiltration, where sensitive data was covertly stolen from devices, while 20 involved ransomware attacks. These attacks typically encrypt victims’ data and demand payment for its release, reported Reuters.

The NCSC also issued 542 bespoke notifications to organisations, alerting them to cyber incidents and offering mitigation advice—more than double the 258 notifications provided last year, reported Reuters.

Reuters reported that in its annual review, published alongside the statement, the NCSC identified ransomware as the most immediate and disruptive threat to critical sectors such as energy, water, transport, healthcare, and telecommunications.

The report also warned of the potential for hackers to exploit artificial intelligence to design more sophisticated cyberattacks, according to Reuters.

Horne emphasized the severity of the evolving threat landscape, urging vigilance against both state-led and criminal cyber activities.

“We believe the severity of the risk facing the UK is being widely underestimated […] There is no room for complacency about the severity of state-led threats or the volume of the threat posed by cyber criminals,” he said according to Reuters.

The NCSC, part of the UK’s GCHQ intelligence agency, continues to work with organisations to bolster cybersecurity measures and mitigate risks amid the rapidly changing digital threat environment.