Nuclear security

Hackers could start a nuclear war by taking control of Trident submarines and launching 'catastrophic' attacks, experts warn

Hackers could take control of Britain’s atomic weapons and use them to start a “catastrophic” global nuclear war, tech experts have warned.

In a report published today, the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) said that cyber-spies could commandeer the systems which power the nation’s Trident submarines and then launch devastating attacks.

“A successful attack could neutralise operations, lead to loss of life, defeat or perhaps even the catastrophic exchange of nuclear warheads,” the report warned.

The pace of technological change is now so great that even the very latest submarines could become vulnerable to unanticipated attacks by hackers using techniques which military boffins have not prepared for.