Cyber-attacks rise by 50% in past year, UK security agency says

Officials say increased dependence on technology leaves society more vulnerable to threats such as ransomware

Highly significant" cyber-attacks rose by 50% in the past year and the UK's security services are now dealing with a new nationally significant attack more than every other day, figures from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have revealed.

In what officials described as a call to arms", national security officials and ministers are urging all organisations, from the smallest businesses to the largest employers, to draw up contingency plans for the eventuality that your IT infrastructure [is] crippled tomorrow and all your screens [go] blank".