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SecurityQuiet 5d · day 6

NCSC chief warns UK faces ‘unprecedented rise’ in cyberattacks as AI exposes old flaws

Richard Horne says AI is not inventing new attack methods but letting both attackers and defenders exploit long-tolerated vulnerabilities at unprecedented scale.

newest coverage 5d agosummary written 5d ago3 pieces NewswiresGoogle News

What to know

  • NCSC chief Richard Horne says AI is not creating new attack methods but letting both hackers and defenders find and exploit long-standing, unpatched vulnerabilities at far greater scale.
  • The agency assesses it is highly likely AI-powered malware will hit UK critical infrastructure via ransomware by 2028, with China and Russia routinely using AI in operations by then.
  • The warning lands alongside UK budget plans to consult on making tech companies liable for breaches caused by insecure products, and follows a June Five Eyes alert that AI's cyber impact is 'months,' not years, away.

“Major technology providers are now fixing hundreds of vulnerabilities in a single update … and the Linux kernel project alone patched more than a thousand vulnerabilities last month.”

Richard Horne, NCSC Chief Executive · The Record ↗ · Nov 2

Richard HorneRichard Horne NCSC Chief ExecutiveOllie Whitehouse NCSC Chief Technology OfficerNCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) UK cybersecurity agency, part of GCHQFive Eyes alliance Intelligence-sharing alliance (UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand)

NCSC chief warns UK faces ‘unprecedented rise’ in cyberattacks as AI exposes old flaws
therecord.media

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles

Peak 2 pieces in two hours at Nov 2, 6 PM; 3 pieces over 6 days (3 articles) Nov 2, 6 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Nov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quiet 12
Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6yesterdaynow · 12:53 PM ET
  1. background

    Horne blames decades of 'doing tech on the cheap' for exposure — Horne argues the vulnerability crisis stems from business practices prioritizing cost savings over security, and warns executives will have to explain failures to stakeholders if critical services fail.

  2. 2

    NCSC says AI-powered ransomware on UK infrastructure 'highly likely' by 2028

    The annual report assesses it is highly likely AI-powered malware will be used in a ransomware attack on Britain's critical infrastructure by 2028, and that China and Russia will routinely use AI in cyber operations by then.

  3. 1

    NCSC launches annual report, Horne warns of unprecedented attack surge

    NCSC Chief Executive Richard Horne, launching the agency's annual report, warns Britain faces a real prospect of an unprecedented rise in cyber incidents, attributing the risk to AI accelerating exploitation of long-neglected vulnerabilities rather than new attack techniques.

    “[V]ulnerabilities that have been tolerated for far too long can now be discovered and exploited at a scale that was once unimaginable.”
    — Richard Horne
    1. 2 outlets UK faces ‘unprecedented rise’ in cyberattacks in coming months, warns cyber chief

      first by The Record, 5d ago · also The Record from Recorded Future News

  4. background

    UK budget floats holding tech firms liable for insecure products — Britain's official budget revealed plans to consult on whether technology companies should be held liable for cyber breaches caused by insecure products, setting context for the NCSC's report.

  5. background

    Five Eyes alliance warns AI will transform cyber capabilities within months — The intelligence alliance issued an alert saying AI would fundamentally reshape both offensive and defensive cyber operations, stating the shift was imminent rather than years away.