UK unprepared for catastrophic ransomware attack: Report

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Britain is unprepared for a large-scale ransomware attack “at any moment” and could be brought to a standstill unless major changes to planning are made, a new report warned on Wednesday.

“In the likely event of a massive, catastrophic ransomware attack, the failure to rise to meet this challenge will rightly be seen as an inexcusable strategic failure,” said the report by parliament's Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS).

The report said the UK’s regulatory frameworks are "insufficient and outdated" while swathes of the country’s critical national infrastructure remain vulnerable to ransomware, particularly in sectors still relying on legacy IT systems.

The JCNSS said former Home Secretary Suella Braverman "showed no interest” in the issue and instead focused on matters such as illegal migration and small boats.

"It is clear to the Committee that the government’s investment in and response to this threat are not equally world-beating, leaving us exposed to catastrophic costs and destabilizing political interference," said JCNSS chair Dame Margaret Beckett.

The JCNSS said the responsibility for tackling ransomware should be taken from the Home Office and given to the Cabinet Office in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Crime Agency (NCA) and overseen directly by the deputy prime minister.