UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis warns cyberattacks are rising sharply, urging new laws to ban ransom payments and strengthen national cyber defences.
As reported by The Independent, Dan Jarvis said Britain faces a “very significant” threat from cyber attacks each year, prompting ministers to introduce new laws to protect firms from growing digital extortion.
Dan Jarvis’s views on tackling cyber criminals
The security minister said the government’s new steps send a clear message to cyber criminals that ransom demands will no longer be accepted.
He stated,
“The UK is not alone in this regard; along with our international allies, we are subjected to a very significant number of cyber attacks every year.”
Mr Jarvis said,
“But from a UK Government perspective, we are crystal clear that these attacks are completely unacceptable. There’s more that we need to do to guard against them, and that’s why we’re introducing these measures.”
Mr Jarvis stated,
“We think these proposals will provide a powerful deterrent, and what we’re wanting to do is break the business model of the cyber criminals who think that they can get away with extorting money from UK-based institutions.”
The minister stated that the administration would thoroughly examine the details of the regime to ensure it improves understanding and assists in gathering information for public agencies.
He added that the updated policies would make the UK “less incentivised” for cybercriminals, helping to make it a less appealing target for online threats.
Archie Norman’s views on unreported cyber attacks
Archie Norman, chair of M&S, called on MPs to introduce new measures for firms to report serious cyber breaches. He said two major British companies had failed to reveal recent attacks.
Mr Norman claimed the breach was likely carried out by DragonForce, a ransomware group operating in Asia, but declined to confirm if a ransom had been paid.
UK government’s crackdown on hackers demanding ransom
As part of new anti-cybercrime measures, the UK government will stop public institutions from paying hackers. It will also compel private firms to report any planned ransom payments.
The Home Office stated,
“The government could then provide those businesses with advice and support, including notifying them if any such payment would risk breaking the law by sending money to sanctioned cybercriminal groups, many of whom are based in Russia.”
Four young people have been arrested in connection with recent cyber attacks targeting major UK retailers, including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Harrods.
Microsoft confirmed last night that Chinese hackers had breached its SharePoint system, attempting to access sensitive data from top businesses and government institutions.
Jonathan Ellison’s views on the rising ransomware threat
Jonathon Ellison, director of national resilience at the National Cyber Security Centre, said ransomware remains a serious and evolving risk. He warned that organisations must stay alert.
He added,
“These new measures help undermine the criminal ecosystem that is causing harm across our economy. All businesses should strengthen their defences using proven frameworks such as Cyber Essentials and our free Early Warning service, and be prepared to respond to incidents, recover quickly, and maintain continuity if the worst happens.”
Major UK cyberattacks
- Marks & Spencer (2025)
- Co-operative Group (2025)
- Dixons Carphone (2017–2018)
- EasyJet (2020)
- Virgin Media (2020)