Cybersecurity

Top online security expert warns of massive imminent cyberattack on the UK that will be MORE severe than the WannaCry hack that crippled the NHS

A severe 'preventable' cyber attack even more severe than the WannaCry hack that crippled the NHS is coming, the UK's cybersecurity intelligence agency has claimed. 

The leading GCHQ expert made the shocking warning that a category one ransomware attack, one level higher than WannaCry, is imminent.

It would be the first time the government has had to deal with this level of online onslaught, which is likely to occur within the next two years.

Ian Levy, technical director of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre, made the comments at a conference hosted by antivirus firm Symantec, held in London yesterday. 

The NCSC was established almost a year ago, in October 2016, to protect the UK from cyber attacks.

In that time it has had to deal with over 500 attempts.

These have largely been attacks against a single targets, like the UK parliament, which have been relatively easy to fend off.

But Dr Levy believes that a large scale coordinated attack will require national collaborative action, involving numerous governmental agencies, to counteract.