Chinese hackers using everyday devices to target UK firms, warns cybersecurity agency

Richard Horne, the chief executive of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, told a conference in Glasgow that China had an ‘eye-watering’ level of sophistication in cyber operations. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/CyberUK/Getty Images

British businesses are being urged to step up their vigilance against a China-linked hacking ploy that uses everyday devices for espionage.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and agencies in nine other countries have warned of persistent attempts by Beijing-backed groups to hack equipment such as wifi routers to launch cyber-attacks.