The UK’s cyber safety company handled greater than 60 “nationally significant” cyber assaults over the previous yr, an official report has revealed.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ, didn’t straight specify what the assaults had been, however did speak about ransomware assaults towards the NHS 111 helpline service and in addition the water utility firm, South Staffordshire Water, which triggered nationwide responses.
“The threat from ransomware was ever present – and remains a major challenge to businesses and public services in the UK,” the NCSC mentioned in its annual assessment, launched on Tuesday.
It mentioned a rising focus over the previous yr has been supporting Ukraine’s cyber defenders in heading off widespread and aggressive cyber assaults by Russia within the wake of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
The NCSC mentioned the battle had “brought the cyber security threat into sharper focus in the UK”.
The UK authorities earlier on Tuesday revealed for the primary time a beforehand covert effort to assist Ukraine defend itself from cyber assaults underneath a programme price greater than £6m.
“Ukrainian authorities – assisted by the NCSC – created strong cyber defences, limiting the impact of Russian operations,” the annual report mentioned.
“Ukraine’s successful defensive operations was an exemplar to network defenders across the world.”
The cyber centre additionally touched on China. It mentioned Beijing’s evolving technological capabilities will possible be the one greatest issue affecting UK cyber safety sooner or later.
Despite the danger posed in cyber area by overseas states, the largest risk to British civilians and small companies on-line is from cyber criminals, based on the report.
This included phishing assaults and the hacking of social media accounts. For instance, there have been 2.7 million cyber-related frauds within the 12 months to March 2022.
Summing up its work over the previous 12 months, the NCSC mentioned its officers managed the response to lots of of cyber incidents. This included 63 occasions that it described as “nationally significant”.
Source: information.sky.com”