UK warns AI ransomware attack on infrastructure ‘highly likely’ by 2028
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has warned that AI-powered malware is highly likely to be used in a ransomware attack targeting the country's critical national infrastructure by 2028.
The assessment, published in the NCSC's Annual Review 2026, states that artificial intelligence will increase the scale and efficiency of ransomware operations, social engineering and vulnerability exploitation. The warning forms part of a broader assessment linking cyber threats to the UK's economic and national security.
Nation-state threats
The NCSC also warned that China, Russia and other nation-states will use "AI cyber" to achieve their geopolitical goals, increasing the scale and speed of cyber threats facing the UK. Beyond ransomware, the agency highlighted the growing threat of state-backed cyber espionage targeting politicians, government officials and other high-risk individuals.
Technology has always influenced cyber security. What is different today is the pace. The ability of state actors to harness new technologies will increasingly determine their effectiveness.
Observed attacks
During the year, the NCSC observed persistent spear-phishing activity against high-risk individuals and increasing efforts to compromise messaging applications. In March, Dutch intelligence agencies warned that Russian state hackers were targeting officials, military personnel and civil servants worldwide by impersonating Signal support to hijack accounts.
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