UK cyber attack ‘may be fatal’

A CYBER attack by the UK’s enemies could lead to deaths, a top spook warned.

A strike like the Wannacry attack last year could spiral out of control, said Ciaran Martin, head of the National Cyber Security Centre.

Wannacry, blamed on North Korea, hit hospitals as well as banks and firms.

Mr Martin, asked if a cyber attack could lead to loss of life, said: “I don’t want to be alarmist but I think clearly the techniques and capabilities are out there. The intent, of course, is then what matters.”

He said the NCSC dealt with at least 10 attacks a week and there had been a “sustained campaign of attacks going back years” on Britain, said Mr Martin.

He warned foreign web experts had laid sleeper tools in UK systems which they could activate in a “devastating” assault.