UK cyber agency says AI-powered ransomware attack on critical infrastructure highly likely by 2028

Key points

• The NCSC's State of the Cyber Nation report says AI is "highly likely" to widen the scale and efficiency of ransomware, social engineering and software exploitation by 2028.
• NCSC chief executive Richard Horne said decades of "tech on the cheap" left vulnerabilities that AI can now find and exploit at scale.
• The government announced £60m ($80m) for a first-phase Cyber Shield and £70m ($93m) for a National Exposure and Real-Time Vulnerability Centre.

Britain's critical national infrastructure should prepare for an AI-powered ransomware attack by 2028, the National Cyber Security Centre said on 3 November in its annual State of the Cyber Nation report. The agency, part of GCHQ, said hostile actors are highly likely to use AI to increase the scale and efficiency of ransomware, social engineering and software exploitation within two years.

NCSC chief executive Richard Horne said in prepared remarks that the risk comes less from new techniques than from old weaknesses. Vulnerabilities tolerated for too long can now be found and exploited at a scale once thought impossible, he said, adding that the country has for decades got away with "tech on the cheap". He urged organisations to invest properly, cut unnecessary internet connections and treat Cyber Essentials certification as a starting point.

The warning was accompanied by new funding.

Decrypt reports that attackers are already using AI.

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