She said adversaries are becoming more brazen, with Russia scaling up its daily hybrid activity against the UK and Europe. Describing a “new era of radical uncertainty”, she emphasised that rapid technological change, including advances in artificial intelligence, is narrowing the window for the UK and its allies to stay ahead.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the UKUSA intelligence agreement, Keast-Butler stressed the importance of partnerships across government, industry and academia, calling for urgent, collective action “from living rooms to boardrooms” to make cyber security “ten times more urgent”.
The warning highlights a broader shift in cyber threats, with hybrid tactics, combining cyber attacks, disruption and disinformation, increasingly used to destabilise nations without direct military conflict.
Mike Maddison, CEO of NCC Group, said:
“We’ve seen how geopolitical tensions over the last year have resulted in state-sponsored attacks - demonstrating the ways that hybrid warfare can cause disruption beyond military lines. As the UK looks at its wider defence strategy, cyber security remains more integral than ever.
“Government collaboration with tech firms is essential to strengthening the UK’s resilience, especially as cyber policies have become an extension of geopolitics. At NCC Group we provide technical insights to advise on the implications of legislation like the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill - so we know the value of up-to-date regulation which encompasses industry-wide experience and learnings.
“The impact of cyber disruption in critical national infrastructure would be felt everywhere. As critical infrastructure and supply chains are largely owned and operated by the private sector, businesses also play a direct role in national security. Ensuring they are resilient and prepared for threats can help to minimise the impact of cyber attacks which jeopardise the UK’s economic and national security.”
