The British government has urged households to keep at least three days’ supply of bottled water and non-perishable food, citing growing cyber threats, extreme weather and other emergencies. The advice is part of the government’s newly launched “Be Ready” campaign, which officials say is aimed at preparing the public for…...
The British government has urged households to keep at least three days’ supply of bottled water and non-perishable food, citing growing cyber threats, extreme weather and other emergencies.
The advice is part of the government’s newly launched “Be Ready” campaign, which officials say is aimed at preparing the public for disruptions to essential services.
The government, according to BBC, said this week’s widespread internet disruption linked to security flaws in the PHP programming language had reinforced the need for households to prepare for emergencies.
Governments and businesses around the world have been scrambling to secure systems running PHP since vulnerabilities were disclosed on Wednesday, triggering millions of hacking attempts and forcing some services offline.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain needed to improve its preparedness for emergencies, arguing that the country had previously been “on the back foot” when responding to crises.
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Burnham made the remarks while hosting a meeting on the government’s response to wildfires, during which officials announced a new wildfire response plan that includes deploying military aircraft.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned that cyber incidents could become more frequent as artificial intelligence makes it easier to identify ways around traditional security measures.
He also cited threats from hostile states, organised criminals and climate change, saying Britain faced a level of danger “than we have certainly for most, if not all, of my lifetime”.
Streeting made the remarks during an appearance on the BBC’s *Question Time* programme, broadcast overnight.
The UK’s recommendation mirrors guidance issued by the European Commission last year, urging citizens across the European Union to maintain a 72-hour emergency kit containing essentials such as food, water, cash and power banks.