Keeping the UK safe from cyber-attacks is now important as fighting terrorism, The head of intelligence intelligent monitoring service GCHQ has said
The NCSC now has a "world-leading programme to reduce the incidence and impact of cyber-attacks without users even noticing," he added.
It now works with private firms, schools and universities as well as the media, as part of its cyber-security role.
That can "feel deeply challenging" for the secretive Cheltenham-based agency, which is used to working "in the shadows", he added.
Digital homeland
However, he said: "If GCHQ is to continue to help keep the country safe, then protecting the digital homeland - keeping our citizens safe and free online - must become and remain as much part of our mission as our global intelligence reach and our round-the-clock efforts against terrorism."
In May, NHS services across England and Scotland were hit by a large-scale cyber-attack that disrupted hospital and GP appointments.
The incident was part of an untargeted wider attack affecting organisations globally.
And in June, up to 90 email accounts were compromised during the cyber-attack on Parliament.
Last week, NCSC head Ciaran Martin said 1,131 cyber-attacks were reported in the centre's first year.
Of those, 590 were classed as significant and more than 30 were assessed as serious enough to require a cross-government response.
(source- BBC news)
