How can the UK protect its Critical National Infrastructure from cyberattacks?
· 22 min
Episode How can the UK protect its Critical National Infrastructure from cyberattacks?
Cyberattacks on the UK’s critical national infrastructure are becoming faster and more sophisticated.
What will it take to protect the systems and services that keep the country running?
Host Zoë Grünewald is joined by Matt Western MP, Chair of the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy, and Chris Parker, Director of Government Strategy at Fortinet UK.
Our panel discusses how ransomware, hostile state actors and AI-enabled attacks are changing the threat landscape facing the UK’s critical national infrastructure, as well as where regulation and governance may need to go further.
They talk about the risks posed by legacy systems and cyber skills shortages, what effective resilience looks like in practice, and why closer cooperation between government and industry matters.
This New Statesman podcast episode is sponsored by Fortinet.
LINKS
Fortinet 2026 Global Threat Landscape Report
Fortinet 2026 Cybersecurity Skills Gap Global Research Report
Fortinet 2026 OT Report
Government Cyber Action Plan
UK Cyber Growth Action Plan
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Links in the notes 9
- https://www.fortinet.com/uk/resources/reports/threat-landscape-report
- https://www.fortinet.com/content/dam/fortinet/assets/reports/2026-cybersecurity-skills-gap-report.pdf
- https://www.fortinet.com/resources/reports/state-ot-cybersecurity?utm_source=Paid-Search&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=OT-GLOBAL-Global&utm_content=AR-2026-state-of-ot-G&utm_term=fortinet%20ot&lsci=701Pr00000mVaoEIAS&s_kwcid=AL!11440!3!812361059033!p!!g!!fortinet%20ot&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23650863264&gbraid=0AAAAACeCt-n44xv_SQbKkTfuAna7XZFMx&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsbr72OvPlQMVNZVQBh2WrB3fEAAYASAAEgJqMfD_BwEOT
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-cyber-action-plan
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-growth-action-plan-2025/a-uk-cyber-growth-action-plan-final-report#introduction
- https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2022/06/newapp
- https://www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
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- https://acast.com/privacy
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