The UK is beefing up its cybersecurity efforts and is looking to create an "elite cyber offensive forces" to fend off any potential online hackings.

The move to strengthen digital security comes after officials learnt that the ISIS eyeing a series of cyberattacks on hospitals, power networks, air traffic control systems, banks etc.

Report says that UK is pumping a lot of funds into the "elite cyber offensive forces" project to stay several steps ahead of the ISIS and hackers. The project is being spearheaded by British spies per the publication which cites Chancellor George Osborne as its source of information.

Osborne also divulged that the ISIS was working towards the creation of abilities which would attack and potentially render the British infrastructures handicapped.

To avoid such a scenario, the U.K was increasing its cyber defense spend, doubling it to £1.9 billion ($2.9 billion) per year for the next five years. The U.K government is also making its own DARPA which will be dedicated to cybersecurity.

"We are building our own offensive cyber capability - a dedicated ability to counter-attack in cyberspace. When we talk about tackling (Islamic State), that means tackling their cyber threat as well as their guns, bombs and knives," noted Osborne.

The elite cyber-attack prevention forces being created by the U.K. will be run by the Defence Ministry and the GCHQ. The forces will be focusing on criminal gangs, individual hackers, hostile powers and militant organizations and targeting them through a "full spectrum" of activities

The move to beef up cybersecurity does not come in the light of the devastating terror attacks in Paris. The decision to strengthen cyber defence had been taken prior to the incident per Osborne who also revealed that the Islamic State was already deploying the Internet for propaganda purposes, as well as planning.

Photo: Don Hankins | Flickr