On Tuesday GCHQ spoke at the IA15, HM Government’s principal event for briefing the UK’s information security leaders. Directors told the audience that the global cyber security market is “not quite right†and that standards need to be improved.
GCHQ Director Robert Hannigan continued with “those charged in government with national security have worried about the top-end threats for some time … there is no doubt — significant cyber-attacks will become more common, not less in the coming periodâ€.
The warning comes just weeks after TalkTalk was targeted by hackers. Although government officials have suggested the attack was a ‘wakeup call’ for businesses, continuing cyber-attacks on well-established brands have been happening for a number of months, highlighting Sony as one.
GCHQ’s Director-General for Cyber Security Ciaran Martin also warned about major cyber-attacks on energy supplies, nuclear power stations, and the defence industry that are expected in the near future describing cyber-attacks as “chronic, advanced and persistent.â€
Martin said the spy agency is identifying 200 cyber-attacks every month, twice the number reported last summer. “These are attacks that are of significance to national security. That is either because of who the aggressor or the victim is or because of the nature of the attack,†he said.
Crime rates show a decline in crime in England and Wales over the past 20 years, which have prompted the question as to whether criminals have decided against burgling homes and breaking into cars and moved online.
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