According to reports, as of November 2022, 39% of UK businesses have experienced a cyber breach, the same as in 2021, with phishing and ransomware noted as key attacks.
Ransomware is becoming a huge cyber security challenge for businesses across the UK as a successful attack can lead to costly damages to IT systems and backups, which, can cost SMEs an average of £4,200.
However, an upcoming project by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) indicates that there are other harms caused by ransomware that need to be considered, including physical, societal, and psychological.
While cyber attacks lead to economic issues for businesses and remain a problem for the cyber security industry, major incidents can have a ripple effect on the rest of society and cause widespread disruption, as demonstrated through the ransomware attack on the NHS earlier this year.
To stay on track with the constantly changing digital landscape, businesses must ensure that they have strong cyber security in place to withstand breaches and manage risk.
For support and guidance on how you can stay safe online, please visit the NEBRC website at www.nebrcentre.co.uk
The NEBRC is part of a police-led network set up to help protect businesses across or region from the growing issue of cyber crime. To support this, the NEBRC has recently launched a 24/7 emergency response service for any business or individual who finds themselves under a cyber-attack. The service offers free, initial support that could help to lessen the impact of a cyber-attack, right from the outset. If you have been affected by malicious cyber attacks such as ransomware, please contact [email protected]
The RUSI hopes that its research will shed light on the effects of ransomware attacks and how disruption can be better managed. For further information on the project and to get involved, please visit the RUSI website.