{
  "id": 14241545,
  "title": "‘Expect to be spied on’: MI5 chief warns UK tech startups over foreign threats",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/expect-to-be-spied-on-mi5-chief-warns-uk-tech-startups-over-foreign",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-13T16:06:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/expect-to-be-spied-on-mi5-chief-warns-uk-tech-startups-over-foreign-threats/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "MI5 chief Ken McCallum has cautioned UK tech startups to anticipate being targeted by foreign intelligence agencies. In his annual threat update, McCallum urged firms to bolster their cybersecurity, warning of escalating threats from hostile states. He stated that critical infrastructure and financial systems were particularly vulnerable, with cyberattacks capable of severely disrupting services. McCallum unveiled a new AI Threat Assessment Centre, a collaboration involving the AI Security Institute, National Crime Agency, and National Cyber Security Centre, to monitor AI-related security risks. He highlighted the potential misuse of AI for reconnaissance, personalized propaganda, and the development of biological weapons, though the latter threat remains theoretical. McCallum noted that the number of state-threat cases handled by MI5 had quadrupled in the past decade, reflecting the evolving nature of national security challenges.",
  "summary": "British tech startups should expect to be targeted by foreign spies, the head of MI5 has warned, as the security service ramps up efforts to tackle cyberattacks and the growing national security risks posed by AI. Sir Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, has urged British businesses to strengthen their cyber defences, warning that hostile [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}