Cyber Threat levels

The threat level indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK.

National threat level

The threat to the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) from terrorism is substantial.

Northern Ireland-related threat level

The threat to Northern Ireland from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is substantial.

Threat levels

There are 5 levels of threat:

Normal - No specific threat beyond baseline cyber risks - Routine monitoring, patching, and awareness

Heightened - Increased risk due to geopolitical events, major vulnerabilities, or campaigns - Enhanced vigilance, MFA enforcement, threat hunting

Elevated - Active targeting of UK sectors or infrastructure - Incident response readiness, supply chain reviews.

Critical - Ongoing or imminent attacks with national impact - Full-scale response, sector coordination, public alerts

The level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the Security Service (MI5).

Threat levels do not have an ex