UK will hit back at terrorists with cyber-attacks, says Osborne

Chancellor speaks at GCHQ on deadly danger of digital attacks, saying Britain will counter-attack criminals and rogue states

British spies will significantly step up their efforts to attack terrorists in cyberspace in the face of Islamic State militants who want to use the internet to kill people, George Osborne has said.

Speaking at GCHQ in Cheltenham, the chancellor said the UK was prepared to use its digital powers to attack hackers, terrorist groups, criminal gangs and rogue states.