NCSC chief warns future cyberattacks may not include option to pay ransom

NCSC chief warns future cyberattacks may not include ransomware payment

Richard Horne, the chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has warned that the UK could face large-scale hacktivist attacks if it becomes embroiled in a conflict. In a speech at the CyberUK conference in Glasgow, Horne stated that these attacks would likely be as sophisticated and impactful as the recent high-profile ransomware incidents, such as those affecting Marks & Spencer and Jaguar Land Rover. However, Horne noted that, unlike criminal ransomware, there would be no option to pay a ransom to facilitate recovery.

The NCSC chief highlighted that nation-states now account for the most significant incidents handled by the agency. As such, he described a perfect storm created by rapid technological change and rising geopolitical tensions, placing the UK in a space between peace and war where cyberspace is a key part of the contest. Horne urged both public and private sector organisations to embed "cybersecurity into their corporate missions." 

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