London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Cyber Attacks have cost UK businesses £44 billion over five years, with over 50% reporting incidents, often caused by email compromises and data theft.
Britain firms have suffered losses of an estimated £44 billion ($55.08 billion) in lost revenue, with 52% of private sector firms reporting incidents, insurance broker Howden Broker disclosed on Monday.
According to Howden, cyberattacks cost businesses on average 1.9% of their revenue, with companies earning over 100 million pounds in annual revenue most at risk.
Howden reported that the most frequent causes of cyberattacks were compromised emails at 20% and data theft at 18%.
The report further revealed that 61% of businesses were using anti-virus software, while only 55% had network firewalls in place. The firm attributed the cybersecurity gap to high costs and a shortage of internal IT services.
The analysis highlights the urgent need for companies to prioritize cybersecurity.
Sarah Neild, head of UK cyber retail at Howden, stated “Cybercrime is on the rise, with malicious actors continuing to take advantage of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, particularly as firms become ever more reliant on technology for their operations.”
Howden’s data was derived from a survey of 905 IT decision-makers in the British private sector, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the broker two months ago in September.
IT experts say that firms should focus on enhancing their cybersecurity by investing in advanced tools like endpoint protection, firewalls, and data encryption. Employee education on recognizing phishing and cyber threats is essential.
Periodic system audits are essential for businesses to identify and address weaknesses. Cyber insurance is equally important, offering protection against the fallout from cyberattacks.
As reported by Tech Times, the frequency of cyberattacks is likely to rise, with UK businesses being targeted every 44 seconds in Q2 2024.
Tripwire reports an average of 180,714 cyberattacks between April and June 2024, a significant increase, breaking figures compared to the 40-second interval between attacks in 2023.
Most of the cyberattacks were carried out by remote actors from China, with others originating from the US, India, Brazil, and Russia. These attacks were primarily connected to Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Cybercrime is on the rise, according to Gen Digital Inc.’s Q3 2024 Threat Report, which shows a 614% hike in “Scam-Yourself Attacks,” a 39% increase in data-theft malware, and a 9.6% uptick in phishing emails. BleepingComputer reports a new strategy by hackers exploiting SVG files to bypass security and carry out phishing activities.