UK cyber agency expects AI malware to hit critical infrastructure by 2028
Britain's National Cyber Security Centre says it is "highly likely" that AI-powered ransomware will be used against power stations, airports or hospitals by 2028. It also warns that Russia and China will start using AI "routinely" in cyber-attacks.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) expects AI-powered malware to be used against the country's critical national infrastructure by 2028, The Guardian reported. The NCSC, part of the GCHQ spy agency, made the warning in its annual review, published on Tuesday. "It is … highly likely that between now and 2028, AI-powered malware will have been used in a ransomware attack on UK CNI," the NCSC said. Under the UK definition, critical national infrastructure covers energy, transport, defence, food, health and finance. The review also warned that Russia and China will start using AI "routinely" in cyber-attacks. Ransomware attackers break into a victim's IT systems and lock files with custom malware. They then demand cryptocurrency to unlock the systems and return stolen data. The Guardian said the method is a signature tactic of gangs that typically operate from former Soviet Union states. Past UK victims include Royal Mail, outsourcing firm Capita and several councils. According to the NCSC, AI will help attackers scout targets, find weak spots in networks and write malicious code. NCSC chief executive Richard Horne is due to give a speech alongside the review. He will warn of "a real prospect of an unprecedented rise in the number of cyber incidents" in the coming months. Horne will…
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