UK Updates National Risk Register to 95 Entries, Adding Cyber and Hybrid Threats While Removing Russian Gas Risk

The UK government updated its national risk register to include seven new risks, among them a cyber-attack on water infrastructure and the threat of digital resilience failure illustrated by the global CrowdStrike outage that affected more than eight million computers.

The register now lists 95 risks in total after the removal of one prior entry, the threat of disruption to Russian gas supplies, which reflects the country's reduced reliance on that source. Cabinet Office Minister Darren Jones told Parliament that a nationwide public awareness campaign will launch later this year to advise people on preparing for emergencies such as severe weather or cyber-attacks that could cut access to power, water, phone signals or local shops.

He said the government will also stage the largest UK home defence exercise in several decades next year. Ministers will run a multi-day exercise called Operation Albiston Shadow to test responses to hybrid attacks. The country's classified crisis plans, known as war books, are being updated for the first time since 2004.

Jones noted that temperatures across the UK broke records in May and were exceeded again in June. He added that artificial intelligence presents new methods for criminals to conduct cyber-attacks while also creating opportunities for the economy and security. The introduction to the risk register states that the country's resilience has been tested like never before by global events.