Digital attacks are happening on “a scale and boldness not seen before”, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Crime Agency (NCA) have warned.
In their first joint report, the NCSC and NCA also say that ransomware – software that makes a device unusable until a ransom is paid to the attacker – will target connected personal devices like phones, watches and TVs.
The report, which discusses the cyber threat to UK business, points to attacks on the Bangladesh Bank, Democratic National Party and Ukrainian power grid as examples of the increasing audacity of hackers.
That daring is being matched by the scale of attacks.
The report says 2016 saw the largest DDOS attack in history when websites including Twitter, Netflix and Spotify were knocked out of service after internet traffic management provider Dyn Inc was targeted with junk data traffic.
It adds that the largest cyber heist in history was also last year when hackers exploited Bangladesh Bank’s SWIFT payment system to steal $81m (£66.7m).