In response to the rising threat from state-backed hackers, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will issue an “official threat notice” to operators of critical national infrastructure.
The move has been confirmed by Dowden, who used his appearance at the CyberUK conference in Belfast to stress the importance of cyber security for the UK economy, warning against "ideologically-motivated" attackers that seek to "disrupt or destroy" the nation's critical infrastructure.
"Ransomware is no longer just a crime," Dowden said. "It is a national security threat and our response needs to reflect the severity of that threat. These are attacks on our citizens, our businesses and our democracy. They are an attempt to undermine our society."
The minister stressed that over the last 18 months the NCSC has seen an increase in activity from several Russia-aligned groups sympathetic to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Described...