UK warns of AI-powered cyberattack risk to critical infrastructure

Traders Union
All News
Regulators
UK AI cyberattack risk

Highlights

Britain's National Cyber Security Centre warns of a likely AI-powered ransomware attack on UK critical infrastructure by 2028, with China as the leading threat actor.
The NCSC identifies a near-term rise in cyber incidents as AI increases the scale and efficiency of attacks, exploiting long-standing vulnerabilities in UK organisations and supply chains.
Richard Horne highlights heightened pressures as Russia targets UK military networks, Iran conducts global cyber operations, and outdated infrastructure poses escalating operational and economic risks.

NCSC warning highlights near-term threat

As reported by Reuters, citing the National Cyber Security Centre, Britain should prepare for an AI-powered cyberattack on critical national infrastructure within the next two years, with China seen as the actor best positioned to carry out such operations.

In its annual report, the NCSC says it is highly likely there will be a ransomware attack involving AI-powered malware by 2028 on the nation's critical infrastructure. The agency adds that hostile actors are set to use AI to increase the scale and efficiency of their operations, rather than to invent entirely new forms of attack.

Richard Horne, chief executive of the NCSC, is expected to say in a speech on Tuesday that too many organisations and supply chains in Britain have spent decades "doing tech on the cheap", leaving serious vulnerabilities in place. He says the coming months bring a real prospect of an unprecedented rise in cyber incidents because weaknesses tolerated for too long can now be found and exploited at a scale that was previously unimaginable.

Pressure grows on operators and government networks

Horne is also due to warn that Russia is making sustained attempts to penetrate UK military networks, while Iran is carrying out malicious cyber operations globally, including against the UK and individuals it sees as threats. He says China highly likely has both the intent and the strongest capability to use AI against British critical infrastructure and other strategic targets.

Moscow, Beijing and Tehran have repeatedly denied similar accusations of hostile cyber activity in the past. The warning comes after hacking attacks on supermarkets across Europe exposed vulnerabilities in IT systems and added to concerns over the resilience of essential supply chains.

Horne says organisations need to act urgently or be ready to explain why warnings were ignored if disruption leaves food off shelves, lights off and businesses collapsing. The assessment points to rising operational and economic risks for sectors that depend on ageing digital infrastructure and complex supplier networks.

Our earlier report on the Bank of England’s push for “bare metal” recovery planning explained how regulators are pressing major lenders to prepare for severe technology failures as AI increases the scale and complexity of cyber attacks. It noted Sarah Breeden’s warning that banks can’t rely on defences alone and need independent recovery options to keep critical services running if primary systems are compromised.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.