A TOP NATO official has warned another major cyber attack may lead to all out war as governments reel from devastating hacks.

Secretary general Jens Stoltenberg made the chilling comment following a paralysing software attack that crippled governments and businesses across the globe.

Mr Stoltenberg said: The attack in May and this week underlines the importance of strengthening our cyber defences and that is what we are doing.

We exercise more, we share best practices and technology and we also work more and more closely with all allies.

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He added NATO leaders last year agreed a devastating cyberattack could be considered a threat to warrant members to trigger article 5 which states nations will actively defend an ally if they come under attack.

While it is not clear where the ransomeware hack which holds data hostage until payments are made originated, officials in Ukraine laid blame squarely at Vladimir Putins feet.

Kiev previously stated the Kremlin had launched similarly devastating attacks on their neighbour.

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Firms in the UK said they had been crippled by the virus and foreign businesses and governments also claimed to have been hit.

British defence secretary Michael Fallon took a strong stance on Tuesday and said the government would consider using military force against a country that ordered a cyber attack.

The hack comes little over one month after a similar software crippled the NHS and other institutions across the globe.

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World on brink of WW3 as NATO boss warns Putin cyber attack could trigger ARMED RESPONSE - Daily Star