Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help (a) prevent AI-driven cyber attacks and (b) promote ethical cyber security practices.

The cyber resilience of the UK economy is a priority for government. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides tools and guidance to help organisations improve cyber security, including the highly effective Cyber Essentials scheme to protect against common cyber attacks. Using these products helps protect against a wide range of threats, including AI-driven cyber attacks.

The AI Security Institute uses novel scientific methods to research risks from AI, including the potential of AI to be used to carry out cyber attacks. In addition our AI Cyber Security Code of Practice - which was developed into a global standard earlier this year - sets out measures to address cyber security risks to artificial intelligence systems.

The government recently wrote to the UK’s leading companies asking them to make cyber security a board-level priority and adopt best practice. This is part of the government’s wider work to provide the incentives, tools and regulations to drive good cyber security practices.