In a rare statement on cyber activity, the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) spy agency has said that hackers working for the British state have launched offensive operations against militants, state-backed disinformation campaigns and attempts to interfere in elections.

GCHQ, which is normally secretive over the government’s work in this field, has published a new document titled NCF: Responsible Cyber Power in Practice that discloses information of operations the National Cyber Force (NCF) has carried out over the last three years – though avoids going into specifics.

The eavesdropping agency said that this was the first time it had disclosed details about its approach to responsible cyber operations. In a statement, GCHQ said: “Conducted in a legal and ethical manner, in line with domestic and international law and our national values, operations are based on a deep understanding of the cyber environment and are designed to be timed and targeted with precision, with their intended impact carefully assessed.”

It said that the NCF follows the ‘doctrine of cognitive effect’ which entails "using techniques that have the potential to sow distrust, decrease morale, and weaken adversary ability to plan and conduct their activities effectively with the goal of changing their behaviour."

Commenting on the agency’s activity and the published report, GCHQ director Sir Jeremy Fleming said: “In an increasingly volatile and interconnected world, to be a truly responsible cyber power, nations must be able to contest and compete with adversaries in cyberspace. In the UK, the NCF complements the UK’s world class cyber resilience to give the country operational cyber capabilities at the scale needed to protect our free, open, and peaceful society.”

The UK is a leading hacking power, but its status is often downplayed and under-appreciated compared to the likes of the US, Russia and China.

In a press release accompanying the report's publication, GCHQ acknowledged that 30-year veteran James Babbage is serving as NCF commander and has been with the body since its inception in 2020.

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