UNTIL a cyber attack actually succeeds, it’s difficult to quantify the threat. However, it’s encouraging to see the Government finally waking up to the danger of a co-ordinated attack on the UK’s computer infrastructure.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) says the threat to our democracy is real. He fears attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups as well as individuals’ email accounts.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson displayed incredible naivety yesterday when he said there was no evidence to suggest Russia was trying to undermine our democratic processes.

Maybe not, but we do have plenty of circumstantial evidence to show what they are capable of and it would be wise to act now rather than wait until it is too late.

Mr Martin’s warnings came on the same day Sir Tim Berners-Lee warned about free speech on the internet 28 years after he invented the world wide web.

Sir Tim’s hopes that his invention would promote sensible debate and democratise cyberspace seem touchingly optimistic in an era of fake news.

The worldwide web has been weaponised – and Britain needs strong defences.

The response will not be cheap. Too much of the UK’s infrastructure relies on outdated software. Systems running on Windows XP are still commonplace years after Microsoft stopped developing security patches for its ancient operating system.

In an era of austerity IT departments have put off system upgrades because they are time-consuming and expensive. Software has been kept running way beyond its use-by date.

The Government needs to come up with more than soothing words if Mr Martin’s warnings are not to come true.