UK cyber attacks are a matter of when not if
Cyber Attacks – The potential risks of ever-growing digital integration are not unknown to us. Computers, smartphones and other devices provide countless benefits but, as day-to-day services become progressively reliant on these technologies, the consequences of their failings become more disastrous, with our cyber-security at an increased risk.
Last year saw a massive cyber attack at American-based credit reporting agency Equifax. Personal information of over 145.5 million people was stolen including addresses, credit card and social security numbers. WannaCry, a piece of ransomware software, infected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide, most notably hitting NHS facilities across the UK, resulting in widespread disruption of services.
It is increasingly true that cyber attacks are a matter of when not if. In an interview to The Guardian, Ciaran Martin, head of UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), anticipates the UK will be hit by a category one (C1) attack before the end of the decade saying, “we have been fortunate in avoiding having one to date.” Examples of a C1 attack could include a major attack on infrastructure, election interference or a deliberately provocative move by a hostile state. For reference, the ransomware attack on the NHS was only a category two. NCSC figures from their opening in October 2016 through to December 2017 show the UK has faced 34 C2 and 762 C3 disruptions in that time frame.