UK Lawmakers Say Gov't Unprepared To Respond To Cyberattacks On Critical Infrastructure

The UK Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy said on Monday that the cyberthreat to the country's critical national infrastructure (CNI) was growing and evolving, and that the government was not acting with urgency to counter this threat.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th November, 2018) The UK Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy said on Monday that the cyberthreat to the country's critical national infrastructure (CNI) was growing and evolving, and that the government was not acting with urgency to counter this threat.

"The cyber threat to the UK's CNI is growing. It is also evolving: hostile states are becoming more aggressive in their behaviour, with some states - especially Russia - starting to explore ways of disrupting CNI, in addition to conducting espionage and theft of intellectual property. Furthermore, while states still represent the most acute and direct cyber threat, non-state actors such as organised crime groups are developing increasingly sophisticated capabilities," the committee said in a report.

According to the committee, the United Kingdom's CNI, which includes energy, health services, transportation, and water, is a natural target for a major cyberattack because of its importance to the country's daily life and economy.

"The Government is not acting with the urgency and forcefulness that the situation demands," the committee warned.

Margaret Beckett, the chair of the committee, has called on the government to "be open about" about the country's vulnerability and promote measures to protect the CNI.

"We are struck by the absence of political leadership at the centre of Government in responding to this top-tier national security threat," Beckett said as quoted in the report.

The committee also appreciated some steps taken by the government over the past two years to improve the cyber-resilience of the CNI, including the establishment of the National Cyber Security Centre.

The United Kingdom has repeatedly accused the Russian military intelligence service of carrying out cyberattacks on political institutions, media outlets and infrastructure in the country and across the globe. In October, the UK government accused Russia's military intelligence operatives of hacking the computer network of a UK-based tv station in 2015. No evidence to prove the claims has been provided.

Russia has strongly refuted the allegations and responded by accusing the West of rampant spy mania.