Terrorists planning cyber war against Britain, warns Lord West

LONDON - Britain’s Security Minister, Lord West, has issued a warning about terrorists’ intentions of using the internet to launch a cyber-warfare campaign against the UK.

Lord West issued the warning as he published the Government’s new Cyber Security Strategy aimed at heading off online threats.

“The terrorists’ capability to launch attacks will develop in future. We know terrorists use the internet for radicalisation and things like that at the moment, but there is a fear they will move down that path (of cyber attacks). As their ability to use the web and the net grows, they will want to turn it into a dangerous weapon,” the Telegraph quoted West, as saying.

“As well as potential cyber-attacks from terrorists, Britain faces a real and growing threat from foreign governments such as China and Russia, and from organised criminal gangs,” he added.

Potential targets pinned down by West in his warning include key business centres, the national power grid, financial markets and Whitehall departments.

Following the threats, a new Office for Cyber Security will be set up in an attempt to beef up defences. And a new cyber-forensics team will be based at GCHQ, the Government centre in Gloucestershire.

The duty of Cyber Security Operations Centre will be to persistently monitor, analyse and counter cyber attacks as soon as they occur.

West said that to tackle cyber crime, the Government has turned for help to former illegal hackers. He said that Government will need their expertise on hacking.

“You need youngsters who are deep into this stuff. If they have been slightly naughty boys, very often they really enjoy stopping other naughty boys,” West added. (ANI)