Great Britain has warned about the growing risk of large-scale cyberattacks on critical infrastructure using artificial intelligence. According to British experts, by 2028 malware using AI is highly likely to be used in a ransomware attack on the country's vital facilities.
This is stated in the new assessment of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), published on November 3. The centre is part of the British intelligence agency GCHQ.
According to the NCSC, artificial intelligence will allow hackers to significantly speed up the search for vulnerabilities, automate some attacks and increase their number. Such capabilities will be particularly dangerous for enterprises and infrastructure facilities that continue to use outdated software and have insufficiently protected information systems.
The British cyber intelligence believes that the development of AI will primarily enhance already known methods of cyberattacks. Criminals will be able to find weaknesses in computer networks faster, create malicious programs and organize attacks on a large number of targets simultaneously.
The most vulnerable may be critical infrastructure facilities, including energy, water supply, transport, healthcare and other sectors on which the daily life of the population depends.
A separate threat is posed by ransomware programs that block access to information systems or data and demand money for restoring their operation. If such attacks affect critical infrastructure, the consequences could be disruptions in the provision of vital services and significant economic damage.
According to the NCSC, by 2028 Russia, China and other countries are highly likely to regularly use artificial intelligence in cyber operations to achieve their own geopolitical goals.
British experts note that Chinese developments in the field of AI create additional opportunities for detecting vulnerabilities and penetrating the information systems of strategic facilities.
Russian cybergroups, according to the NCSC, may actively use open-source artificial intelligence models, adapting them to reconnaissance tasks. This approach allows the development of cyber capabilities without significant investments in creating their own advanced models.
The main problem is that artificial intelligence can detect long-known security flaws much faster than enterprises can fix them.
The NCSC message emphasizes that British organizations have underinvested in technology updates and cyber defense for many years.
The head of the centre, Richard Horne, warned that due to the spread of AI tools, the number of cyber incidents could rise sharply in the coming months. The reason will not be so much the emergence of fundamentally new hacking methods, but the possibility of mass exploitation of long-known vulnerabilities.
According to him, enterprises should review their cybersecurity approaches and make the resilience of information systems a top management priority.
The NCSC recommends paying special attention to updating outdated equipment, timely patching of vulnerabilities and reducing the number of systems unnecessarily connected to the internet. Companies are also advised to strengthen access control and develop capabilities for rapid recovery after cyberattacks.
At the same time, artificial intelligence creates new opportunities not only for attackers, but also for defenders. Automated systems can help enterprises detect suspicious activity faster, check software and fix dangerous vulnerabilities.
However, the NCSC warns about the risk of widening the gap between large organizations that are able to invest in modern cyber defense and companies with limited resources.
In response to growing threats, the British government announced additional funding for cybersecurity. In particular, £60 million is provided for the initial stage of creating the national Cyber Shield system, and another £70 million for the NERV centre, which will deal with detecting vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and the economy.
In addition, it is planned to create a specialized centre for artificial intelligence cybersecurity in Manchester, which will operate under the leadership of the NCSC.
British cyber intelligence considers the period until 2028 as critically important for strengthening infrastructure protection. At the same time, the published scenarios are assessments of possible developments in cyber threats, not notification of a specific attack preparation.
The NCSC emphasizes that the further level of risk will significantly depend on the willingness of government agencies and private companies to invest timely in cybersecurity and technology modernization.
