UK cyber chief warns of AI attacks on infrastructure by 2028

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 00:44 · Archive

Britain's cyber chief says the UK will likely face artificial intelligence cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by 2028.

Richard Horne, head of the UK's National Cyber Security Center, warned on Tuesday that the UK will likely face artificial intelligence cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by 2028. The threat comes as states including China and Russia, along with criminals, increasingly use AI in their cyber activity. AI-powered malware could be used for ransomware attacks, exploiting 'vulnerabilities that have been tolerated for far too long' at unprecedented scale, Horne said.

The NCSC's annual cyber report found that Chinese cyber activity is the 'most sophisticated and sustained cyber challenge facing the U.K.' Both Russia and China will routinely use AI to achieve geopolitical goals. Russia is conducting cyber campaigns below the threshold of armed conflict, while Iran is carrying out attacks against the UK and targeting individuals perceived as threats to the Iranian regime.

Horne said leaders of businesses and organisations who have 'got away with tech on the cheap' will have to explain critical failures if they do not invest in cybersecurity or update outdated technology. The report noted that while AI will likely increase the scale and efficiency of hostile operations, it is more probable that AI will be used to enhance and scale existing tactics rather than discover entirely new vulnerabilities. Last week, urgent security updates were deployed after AI-assisted discovery of vulnerabilities in a programming language used by 70 per cent of websites globally.

How it is being reported

• UK cyber chief says the UK will face AI cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by 2028Britain’s cyber chief says the U.K. is likely to face artificial intelligence cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure by 2028.Clickorlando · 3 Nov, 00:08
• UK cyber chief says the UK will face AI cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by 2028Britain’s cyber chief says the U.K. is likely to face artificial intelligence cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure by 2028.News4Jax · 3 Nov, 00:08

In this story: Richard Horne · National Cyber Security Center · China · Russia · Iran · United Kingdom

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