Key Points
- UK cybersecurity incidents rose by 16% in 2024, with the NCSC managing 430 cases, up from 371 in 2023.
- Data exfiltration accounted for 347 incidents, while ransomware attacks numbered 20.
- The NCSC issued 542 notifications to impacted organizations, more than double the 2023 figure.
- The NCSC warns against underestimating state-led and cybercriminal threats, urging enhanced vigilance and defenses.
According to Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the United Kingdom’s cyberspace is under increasing threat, with hostile activities becoming more frequent, sophisticated, and intense. Horne will highlight the growing danger and its implications for national security, as revealed in a government agency statement.
The NCSC, part of Britain’s GCHQ intelligence organization, reported a 16% rise in cybersecurity incidents in 2024 compared to the previous year. The incident management team dealt with 430 cases, up from 371 in 2023. Among these, 347 incidents involved unauthorized data exfiltration and a covert data transfer from a system, while 20 were attributed to ransomware attacks.
“Actors are leveraging our increasing dependence on technology to cause maximum disruption and destruction,” Horne emphasized. He warned against underestimating the scale and severity of these cyber threats, particularly those orchestrated by state-sponsored actors and cybercriminals.
The NCSC also issued 542 bespoke notifications to organizations affected by cyber incidents, a significant increase from 258 in 2023. These alerts provided detailed advice on mitigating risks and securing systems.
In its annual review, the NCSC identified ransomware as the “most immediate and disruptive” threat to critical national infrastructure, including energy, water, healthcare, transportation, and telecommunications sectors. The report also raised concerns about hackers exploiting advancements in artificial intelligence to launch more sophisticated and potentially damaging attacks.
“We believe the severity of the risk facing the UK is being widely underestimated,” Horne stated. He urged increased vigilance and proactive measures to combat the escalating threat landscape. To address these challenges, the NCSC advocates for stronger cybersecurity frameworks, collaboration between the public and private sectors, and adopting advanced technologies to bolster defenses.
