The UK Government has warned businesses and charities to strengthen their cybersecurity practices due to a wave of cyberattacks.

According to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022 report from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the frequency of cyberattacks is rising, though the number of businesses which experienced an attack or breach remained the same as 2021 levels.

In total, the report said that 30% of charities and 39% of businesses reported cybersecurity breaches or attacks in the last 12 months.

While this was consistent with the previous 12-month period, it was lower than several other recorded years. The report warned that enhancing cybersecurity practices often leads to higher identification of attacks, suggesting that less cyber mature organisations may be underreporting.

Around 31% of businesses and 26% of charities that suffered attacks said they now experience breaches or attacks at least once a week.

82% of senior managers at UK businesses now see cybersecurity as a ‘very high’ or ‘fairly high’ priority, up from 77% in 2021. This is a significant increase and the highest figure seen in any year of the cyber security breaches survey.

In addition, the data show that two in five businesses use a managed IT provider, but only 13% review the security risks posed by their immediate suppliers.

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Cyber Minister Julia Lopez said: “It is vital that every organisation take cybersecurity seriously as more and more business is done online and we live in a time of increasing cyber risk.

“No matter how big or small your organisation is, you need to take steps to improve digital resilience now and follow the free government advice to help keep us all safe online.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised concerns of increased cyberattacks against Western countries. A recent Google Threat Report has claimed that Russian hackers have recently targeted systems in NATO and Eastern European countries.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) urged organisations to ensure their cybersecurity measures were up to date in the face of expected wave of attacks. However, it noted that it was unaware of any current specific cyber threats to UK organisations.

Commenting on the report, Associate Director of Cybersecurity at Boston Consulting Group Miri Marciano said:  “While the number of reported cybersecurity breaches in the UK hasn’t increased over the past year, the pandemic has encouraged criminals to embrace digital technologies as part of their strategies.”

She added: “Not only this, but we’ve seen a growth in cyberattacks on businesses, as well as critical infrastructures in conflict zones, which has forced government and law enforcement agencies to take action by arresting cybercriminals, confiscating funds and closing active web forums.

“However, when it comes to preventing cybersecurity attacks, just having a data protection strategy isn’t enough. Businesses need an effective cybersecurity assessment and, on this basis, make targeted investments to strengthen prioritised controls.”

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