UK steps up NHS cyber protection amid concerns of Putin hybrid attack

The UK is to step up its homeland defences against a “hybrid war” being waged by Russia.
Ministers are to prioritise boosting critical national infrastructure, including protecting the NHS and other institutions from cyber attacks by hostile states.
Tackling the so-called “grey zone” activity – which includes hacking, the disruption of undersea fibre optic cables and “accidental” incursions by Russian planes into UK airspace – will form a central part of the Strategic Defence Review to be published in spring 2025.
The Government’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will also update the UK’s data and digital services to prevent Russia or another hostile state bringing the NHS, retail or banking systems to their knees.
A senior defence official said the activity was “happening now” and the UK was being hit by attempted cyber attacks “every day” while Defence Secretary John Healey said the “hybrid war” waged by Russia “requires attention”.
Such grey zone activity has increased during the war in Ukraine and is expected to continue as Vladimir Putin blames the West, including the UK and US, for sending long-range missiles for use inside Russia.
In the latest incident of its kind, this week Moscow was suspected of being behind the cutting of two fibre optic data cables under the Baltic Sea.
Royal Navy ships and RAF planes are also patrolling the Channel and North Sea after several instances of suspicious activity.
Last week RAF Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to track Russian military aircraft flying over the North Sea while the Royal Navy shadowed Russian vessels passing through the English channel.
It was the second time in three months that the UK armed forces have detected Russian ships and aircraft straying into UK airspace and waters.
Addressing MPs on the Defence Select Committee on Thursday, Healey said tackling activity by Russia in the Baltic Sea and other waters, including the severing of undersea fibre optic cables blamed on Moscow, would be a key part of the upcoming Strategic Defence Review which is being published this spring.
The Defence Secretary added: “One focus within the terms of reference for the reviewers [of the SDR] was to assess the adequacy of our homeland defences. 
“And clearly, I think there’s a recognition in recent months, not least because we’ve seen damage to undersea essential undersea cables in different parts of the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic, this is an area that requires attention.”
Lieutenant General Sir Rob Macgowan, deputy chief of the defence staff, told the committee that the review would focus on this “so-called hybrid grey zone activity, these attacks on critical national national infrastructure, Russian aircraft buzzing our airspace on a regular basis, cyber attacks every day”.
He added: “This is happening now, and we’ve got to ensure that we’ve got the capability to fight that fight today, as well as deter for war-fighting so all of these things are in play. 
“That is why there’s such an integrated and intense review to ensure that we can offer through the independent team the sector state, a range of options that he can choose from in due course.”
The Government declined to comment on security matters but said robust systems were in place to detect and defend against potential cyber incidents.
The National Cyber Security Centre has previously said ransomware attacks are the most acute cyber threat facing the UK and all domestic organisations should take action to protect themselves from this pervasive threat.
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which has not yet been introduced to Parliament, will update the UK’s current cyber security framework, including expanding the remit of regulators to protect more digital services, putting them on a stronger footing to ensure essential cyber safety measures are being implemented, and mandating increased incident reporting to provide better data on cyber attacks.