The cyber crime threat continues to evolve, affecting essential services, businesses and private individuals alike. Cyber crime costs the UK billions of pounds, causes untold damage, and threatens national security.
Deputy Director Paul Foster outlines the cyber crime threat and the NCA’s response for ITN Businesses’ ‘The Cyber Impact’
Play videoThe deployment of ransomware remains the greatest cyber serious and organised crime threat to the UK and its use threatens Critical National Infrastructure and poses a risk to national security. Ransomware attacks can have a significant impact on victims due to financial, data and service losses, which can lead to business closure, inaccessible public services and compromised customer data.
Russian-language criminals operating ransomware as a service continue to be responsible for most high profile cyber crime attacks against the UK. Some of these high profile Russian-language groups are known to have links with the Russian state. However, it is highly likely that in most instances these links extend only to tolerance of their activities.
High-end cyber crime groups continue to improve their business models, almost certainly to make it easier and quicker to extract funds from victims. Extorting victims by threatening to sell or publish stolen data is an established part of the ransomware criminal business model. Newer developments to further pressurise a victim into paying a ransom include making stolen data searchable online or threatening a distributed denial of service attack to publicly disrupt a victim’s services.
The wider cyber crime landscape is supported by online marketplaces selling compromised data and tools that enable cyber crime. Cyber tools, including ransomware, are increasingly available to a wide range of cyber criminals, alongside service providers who can provide access to online systems. This marketplace also enables criminals from other threat areas, and enables cyber criminals with only basic capabilities to cause serious harm to UK businesses and individuals.
Although young criminals are often driven by peer kudos rather than financial reward, organised cyber crime groups are motivated by profit. Cyber criminals seek to exploit human or security vulnerabilities in order to steal passwords, data or money directly.
Other, less sophisticated cyber threats include:
Cyber attacks are financially devastating and disrupting and upsetting to people and businesses. They undermine the economic stability of the UK and cost the UK economy millions of pounds each year.
The NCA is committed to improving the UK’s resilience to cyber-attacks and improving the law enforcement response to the cyber-crime threat, by taking action against those responsible, wherever they may be located.
The NCA is proud to be a part of The Cyber Impact, a news style programme by ITN Business which explores the rapidly evolving realm of cyber threats and their profound impact on organisations.
Paul Foster, head of the Agency’s National Cyber Crime Unit, features in the programme talking about how the NCA is targeting the highest harm cyber criminals, our work to prevent young people falling into cyber crime, plus his insights on the most prominent threats facing the UK.
Cyber crime is a global threat. Criminals and the technical infrastructure they use are often based overseas, making international collaboration essential.
We focus on critical cyber incidents as well as longer-term activity against the criminals and the enablers that make up the cybercrime business model. This approach targets the online cyber criminal ecosystem that provides products, goods and services, which make it easier for people to commit cyber crime.
We break the ecosystem down into five pillars:
We work closely with UK police, regional organised crime units, and partners in international law enforcement such as Europol, the FBI and the US Secret Service to share intelligence and coordinate action. We have also developed close and effective partnerships with private industry to share information and technical expertise.
As well as disrupting the current generation of cyber criminals we also want to prevent young people from slipping into cyber crime. Our Cyber Choices programme helps them make informed choices and encourages them to use their cyber skills in a legal way.
We also work with partners such as the National Cyber Security Centre and Cyber Aware to promote ways for the public and businesses to protect themselves online.
Protect yourself by securing your accounts, data and devices:
Recognise and break suspicious contacts:
Report the incident:
Law enforcement does not encourage, endorse nor condone the payment of ransom demands. If you do pay the ransom:
More information is available on the NCSC website.
