New research from cybersecurity firm Trend Micro has revealed that 60% of IT leaders say a successful cyber-attack is “only a matter of time,” with gangs’ tactics and methods more advanced than their internal capabilities and skillsets.

They view phishing as the most significant threat over the next two years (60%), followed by ransomware (41%).

The research, which surveyed 250 IT public sector leaders with cybersecurity responsibilities, is timely given the Government’s deliberations on how to battle threat actors in the UK, including considering a ban on ransomware payments in the public sector.

Outside of external factors, it reveals internal processes, and culture may be contributing factors to heightened risk.

The data shows that many organisations still operate reactively, with nearly one-third (31%) of respondents acknowledging that a lack of proactive threat hunting and risk management leaves them exposed.

If breached, 24% admit it would take them between 1-3 days to successfully identify a ransomware attack, with the average response time being one day and six hours. These findings highlight a broad issue – that cyber-defence is often treated as a response function.

When delving into the why, the research highlights that they just don’t have enough time to focus on proactive cyber risk management.

Almost half (49%) say they are so overwhelmed with managing immediate cybersecurity threats and challenges that they don’t have enough time to spend on building a strategic plan for cyber.

The absence of a strategic, cybersecurity-first culture across the broader workforce, identified by 42% of respondents, is manifesting in behaviours that heighten everyday cyber-risk. This includes employees intentionally bypassing security protocols even though
they’ve had cyber training (47%), as well as human error (39%).

This reveals a critical disconnect between security awareness and actual practice, suggesting that current training programmes may be viewed as a compliance exercise rather than a catalyst for better cyber governance.

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With external and internal factors worsening risks, IT leaders are beginning to rethink their approach and how technology can help bolster their defences. By 2027, 38% plan to adopt advanced technologies, including Generative AI, to improve threat detection capabilities, signalling a shift in recognition that traditional defences are no longer sufficient.

Jonathan Lee, UK cybersecurity director, Trend Micro, comments: “The public sector continues to be a prime target for threat actors, from exploiting weaknesses with NHS suppliers to steal patient data, to infiltrating The British Library to capture 600GB of data.

“We don’t know if the Government’s proposed ban on ransomware payments will curb such activity, and in the meantime, gangs have a steady supply of victims capable of paying up.”