Last week saw the formal opening of the new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in Victoria, London, by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The NCSC has been operating since last October and claims to have blocked 34,550 “potential attacks” on Government departments and members of the public so far.

Speaking at the official launch, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (former Defence Secretary Philip Hammond) said that companies need to “sharpen their approach, as the threat of hacking attacks increases and intensifies”.

He warned that hackers could bring down national infrastructure and that even kettles, fridges and driverless cars are at risk.

“As Chancellor, I know how significant our digital sector is for the UK economy; it is worth over £118 billion per year. This cutting-edge centre will cement our position as a world leader in cyber security, and the work carried out here will ensure that our country remains resilient to potential attacks.

“Britain is transforming its capabilities in cyber defence and deterrence. It is crucial that we take action now to defend ourselves and protect our economy.”

Ciaran Martin, head of the NCSC, said: “We are here to make the UK the safest place to do business and to live on-line. We will help to secure our critical services, lead the response to the most serious incidents and improve the underlying security of the Internet through technological improvement and advice to citizens and organisations.

“We want to be at the centre of a new era of on-line opportunity and help people to feel as safe as possible when using technology to its fullest potential.”