6 December 2024

‘Russia can turn the lights off’: how the UK is preparing for cyberwar

Dan Milmo

The Swedish government checklist for surviving a war would not have looked out of place decades ago: bottled water; sleeping bags; extra batteries; enough cash for a week; and non-perishable food such as rice and cereal.

Without being mentioned in name, Russia once more lurks in the background as it did during the cold war. But the nature of the threat it poses in the pamphlet, called “In case of crisis or war”, has changed.

Alongside raising the possibility of “an armed attack against Sweden”, the guide also mentions “cyber-attacks” and “disinformation campaigns”.

As well as coping with the threat of nuclear conflict or an armed border incursion, Europe must now contend with a very 21st-century foe: cyberwarfare.

Richard Horne, the head of the National Cyber Security Centre, will say on Tuesday that “the severity of the risk facing the UK” from countries like Russia and China “is being widely underestimated”.

Horne will make the warning as the NCSC reveals a significant increase in serious cyber-incidents over the past 12 months.

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