The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned the country will likely be subject to faster and bigger cyberattacks from adversaries over the next two years, with China and Russia expected to pose some of the largest threats.
In its annual cybersecurity report, NCSC warned that while technology has always influenced cyber security, the pace at which AI, automation and advances in computing power are helping state actors to “identify vulnerabilities, target victims and operate more efficiently”.
“By 2028, it is highly likely China, Russia and other nation states will routinely use AI cyber to achieve their geopolitical goals with the UK facing an increase in scale and speed of sophisticated cyber attacks,” the report read.
The NCSC, which is part of intelligence agency GCHQ, added it was also highly likely that between now and 2028, AI-powered malware will have been used in a ransomware attack on UK critical national infrastructure.
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It further warned increased reliance on space-based technologies will expand the threat surface, providing more opportunities to adversaries over the next 10 years.
These trends, noted NCSC, point to a clear challenge. “The UK is operating in a more congested, competitive and technologically accelerated cyber environment.”
To counter these growing threats, NCSC said the country must strengthen its resilience now while preparing for what comes next.
In total, NCSC revealed it had received reports of 1,831 cyber-attacks impacting UK organisations across a range of sectors in 2026 so far, with 80 considered nationally significant.
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