British Research & Innovation Faces Serious Cyber Attacks

Uploaded on 2025-06-05 in TECHNOLOGY--Developments, NEWS-Cybersecurity News, FREE TO VIEW

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the government agency responsible for funding scientific research through an annual investment of £8 billion, has experienced a dramatic surge in cyber attacks in 2025.

Data suggests that the agency has been subjected to over 5.4 million cyber incidents, marking a sixfold increase compared to the previous year.

Most notably, more than 200,000 of these attacks were phishing attempts aimed at tricking staff into revealing sensitive data, while over 11,000 involved malware designed to damage IT systems and steal information.

These figures underline the growing scale and complexity of cyber threats targeting UK science and innovation infrastructure

Targeting Valuable Intellectual Property

According to reports, the attackers appear to be targeting not just operational systems but also attempting to steal valuable intellectual property - an asset increasingly viewed as a key target for state-sponsored threat groups. Intelligence sources and cybersecurity experts suggest that the scale and sophistication of these attacks point toward hostile foreign actors, with Russia being the primary suspected perpetrator.

Indeed, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which sponsors UKRI, is alarmed by the scale of the assaults, given that cyber adversaries aim to undermine UK innovation, damage infrastructure, and steal sensitive research data.

State-Sponsored Threat Activity

Industry reports and UK government officials have voiced strong suspicions that Russia’s military intelligence, the GRU, is behind many of these cyber operations. This agency - linked to Russia's intelligence and military apparatus—is known to have targeted UK government and critical infrastructure sectors previously.

In 2024, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) confirmed that the GRU, along with associated groups like Fancy Bear and Sandworm, were actively targeting UK organisations for espionage, sabotage, and reputational harm. The NCSC reported dealing with over 430 cyber incidents that year alone

Escalating Threats

The increasing number and sophistication of cyberattacks reflect escalating geopolitical tensions. As cyber adversaries become more capable and covert, the UK government and agencies like UKRI are under mounting pressure to bolster their cybersecurity measures.

While attribution remains complex, experts warn that the evidence strongly indicates Russian state involvement. Cyfirma, a leading cybersecurity research firm, noted that these attacks are part of an ongoing campaign by Russia to disrupt, steal, and undermine UK scientific and technological progress, amidst broader geopolitical conflicts.

Calls for Stronger Defences

The surge in cyberattacks on UKRI and other critical national infrastructure underscores the necessity for urgent investment in cybersecurity. Government officials are calling for more robust defences to safeguard the UK’s scientific and technological assets against increasingly aggressive threats.

As cyber espionage and cyber warfare become more prominent, the fight to protect UK innovation and research will remain a top priority for policymakers and cybersecurity experts.

ITPro | Elctronics Specifier | Cyfrima | Express | IOT Insider

Image: UKRI

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