UK cyber chief warns of AI attacks on critical infrastructure by 2028

The United Kingdom will likely face AI-powered cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by 2028, according to Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC). Criminals and state actors, including China and Russia, are increasingly using AI in cyber operations. The technology could accelerate ransomware attacks and exploitation of longstanding security weaknesses.

The NCSC expects AI primarily to enhance and scale existing attack techniques rather than uncover entirely new vulnerabilities. Horne warned that inadequate investment and outdated systems could disrupt electricity, water facilities, manufacturing and refrigeration. He urged business leaders to address weaknesses before essential services fail.

Recent attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems in France exposed the risks of unsupported technology connected directly to the internet with default passwords. Hackers raised temperatures, causing food to thaw. Vulnerable refrigeration systems were also identified in the UK, where NCSC specialists contacted affected organizations. Horne stressed that the French incidents did not involve AI but demonstrated how easily existing weaknesses could be exploited.

The NCSC described Chinese cyberactivity as the most sophisticated and sustained cyber challenge facing the UK. It said malicious cyberactivity costs UK organizations almost USD 20 billion every year. GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler urged organizations to act, describing cybersecurity as part of the nation’s front-line defense.