United Kingdom

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Hostile states, including China, Iran, and Russia, are responsible for the majority of nationally significant cyber attacks targeting Britain, the head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is set to reveal.

Dr Richard Horne will address the annual CyberUK conference in Glasgow on Wednesday, highlighting how rapid technological advancements and escalating international tensions are fostering "what feels like tumultuous uncertainty" for the nation.

Businesses must be prepared to defend themselves against cyber incursions without resorting to ransom payments, Dr Horne is expected to warn.

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“Criminal activity such as ransomware remains the most prevalent threat to the vast majority of organisations.

“But the majority of the nationally significant incidents that my teams are handling now originate directly or indirectly from nation states.

“We know that China’s intelligence and military agencies now display an eye-watering level of sophistication in their cyber operations.

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“This, combined with their whole-of-state approach, means we face more than just a capable cyber threat but a peer competitor in cyber space.

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