AI hackers and hostile states pose cyber threat – Daily Business

Businesses are being warned about new cyber threats (pic: DB Media Services)

Businesses need to prepare for the unleashing of AI ‘hackers’ and large-scale cyberattacks with nation states now behind the most serious incidents, according to a top security official.

Dr Richard Horne, head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will today warn that states, including China, Iran and Russia, are responsible for the majority of significant cyber attacks targeting Britain.

Speaking at the CyberUK conference in Glasgow, Dr Horne will say that as the technology landscape develops, the definition of cyber security is expanding with it. 

He will say that AI tools have the opportunity to be a major boost for cyber-security defences if they are secured, but he will also warn that in the wrong hands they represent a major threat.

The fear is that if Mythos gets into the wrong hands or goes rogue it might lead to major data breaches or debilitating cyber-attacks.

Anthropic, the maker of the Claude Mythos chatbot, has revealed it to be extremely good at hacking and the company is restricting access to help governments, tech giants and banks secure their systems as the cyber-security world braces for its general release.

Dr Horne says that the number of incidents dealt with by the NCSC remains “fairly steady” – approximately four nationally significant incidents each week – noting that most originate directly or indirectly from hostile state actors.

Rapid technological advancements and escalating international tensions are fostering “tumultuous uncertainty”, he says, and he cautions that the UK could face cyber attacks “at scale” should it become embroiled in an international conflict.

He calls on those working in the field to lead a “cultural shift” within organisations, adding that, amidst the uncertainty, it is clear what actions need to be taken to maintain collective resilience.

Dr Horne says: “Cyber security is the responsibility of everyone, whether they sit on the board or the IT help desk… cyber security is part of their mission.

“Organisations that do not focus on their technology base…as core to their prosperity … are no longer just naïve but are failing to grasp the reality of today’s world.”

Dr Horne outlines that cyberspace is part of the contested space “between peace and war” and the UK’s cyber agency is seeing Russia applying lessons it has learnt on the battlefield in the illegal invasion of Ukraine and “moving them beyond the battlefield.” 

Conflicts around the world in the past year have shown that “cyber operations are now integral to conflict” and that “cyber security is the home front”.”

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