Ransomware is biggest online threat to people in UK, spy agency chief to warn

GCHQ cybersecurity boss sounds alarm over extortion by hackers who are mostly based in former Soviet states Ransomware represents the biggest threat to online security for most people and businesses in the UK, the head of GCHQ's cybersecurity arm is to warn. Lindy Cameron, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, will say in a speech that the phenomenon, where hackers encrypt data and demand payment for it to be restored, is escalating and becoming increasingly professionalised.