The U.K. is at high risk of a "catastrophic” ransomware attack that could bring critical national infrastructure to a standstill and cost the country tens of billions of pounds, according to a parliamentary report. Departments responsible for national infrastructure across the government are running outdated systems that put them in danger of a breach, said the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, or JCNSS. Wednesday’s briefing focused on ransomware — software that hackers use to seize files and systems before demanding payment. Ransomware was responsible for the attack on the U.K.’s National Health Service in 2017 and Ireland’s Health Service Executive in 2021. According to JCNSS, the U.K. is the second-most ransomware-targeted country, after the U.S.

Source: The Times December 13, 2023 08:30 UTC