Britain faces the threat of a 'cyber cold war' amid fears that hackers could gain the technology to shut down the computer systems that control Britain's power stations, water companies, air traffic, government and financial markets.
The security services believe that in addition to the threat from China and Russia, al-Qaeda is also likely to be working on hacking into key systems to steal military secrets and launch cyber terrorist attacks.
The Government has announced it is creating a new Cyber Security Operations Centre to bring together the expertise of MI5, the GCHQ listening post in Cheltenham and the Metropolitan Police.
Lord West said Britain was also developing the capability to strike back against hackers by recruiting former hackers at GCHQ.
'It would be silly to say that we don't have any capability to do offensive work from Cheltenham,' he said.
GCHQ had not employed any 'ultra, ultra criminals' he added, but he said they needed the expertise of former 'naughty boys.'
'You need youngsters who are deep into this stuff,' he said. 'If they have been slightly naughty boys, very often they really enjoy stopping other naughty boys.'
Lord West said the terrorists' capability to launch attacks was something he believed will develop in future.
'We know terrorists use the internet for radicalization 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, there will be more opportunity for these attacks.'..."
Source: London Telegraph
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