Paul Holland, CEO of Beyond Encryption, takes a look at the cybersecurity threats facing the UK and what the country can do to prevent them.

The Labour Party is facing significant challenges as it looks to shape the future of the nation. One key area that requires their immediate attention is the UK’s cybersecurity strategy. Over 50% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year. Therefore, the evolving cyber threat landscape can no longer be ignored.

A commitment to change and promises of driving modernisation across the UK following 14 years of Conservative leadership were at the heart of the Labour Government’s campaign. Within its manifesto, the Labour Party even acknowledged the evolving cyber threat landscape and the increased risk of cyber attacks. Especially with technologies such as AI enabling cybercriminals to launch more sophisticated attacks at scale – the threats to the UK’s cybersecurity will only continue to proliferate.

One of the most common vulnerabilities across all UK businesses is a heavy reliance on outdated, legacy systems. Recent research revealed that a cyber attack occurs every 44 seconds. Despite this, over two-thirds of UK businesses continue to leverage legacy technologies to run their core operations. Worryingly, over 60% of customer-facing applications also rely on these outdated technologies.

With this in mind, we must ask ourselves what actions the Government and private sector should be taking to safeguard the UK’s digital landscape once and for all.

The key to modernising the UK’s cybersecurity — digital transformation

Legacy systems are a cybercriminal’s dream as they were not designed with today’s sophisticated cybersecurity landscape in mind. This means they do not have the necessary protections to counter today’s tech-savvy attacks. Troublingly, many systems run on outdated operating platforms. This means they no longer receive the critical patches and security updates which protect them from exploitation by cybercriminals.

Cybercriminals are also adding AI to their arsenals more and more frequently. They are using this technology to launch more sophisticated attacks than ever before. Therefore, it is crucial that businesses recognise the importance of retiring legacy systems and moving towards secure, modern alternatives. As the threat landscape continues to proliferate, this transition is now a necessity for survival against the growing cybercrime wave.

Another element of building cyber resilience which is often overlooked is businesses’ continued reliance on outdated postal communications. As businesses continue to transform their customer communications, they should look to replace traditional postal services with secure, digital alternatives as part of this process. With Ofcom’s Residential Postal Tracker revealing that 54% of consumers prefer not to receive post from any organisation and 70% prefer email communications over postal communications, this transition only grows in importance. Businesses should look to leverage secure digital communication tools underpinned by encryption and authentication technologies to ensure that data is protected across its entire journey. Secure digital alternatives also enable a faster digital delivery, and unlock cost-saving benefits and enhanced reliability in comparison to traditional postal communications which are being increasingly targeted by fraudsters.

The time for legislative action is now

As the new Labour Government continues to decide its priorities for the years ahead, it is crucial that bolstering the UK’s cybersecurity is at the forefront of these conversations and policy decisions. To help businesses and consumers alike stay safe from the growing cybercrime wave, the Government should look to implement legislation which mandates the transition from legacy systems to more modern and secure alternatives. As it stands, private and public sectors alike continue to operate using legacy systems. This leaves them increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks. Therefore, a strong legislative framework is critical to compelling these organisations to regularly update their infrastructure. 

The Government invests billions of pounds in the military to protect the public from physical attacks. The same attention must be given to protecting the nation from hidden, digital dangers. With recent attacks, such as the NHS cyber attack, demonstrating the detrimental effect that cyber attacks can have on the general public – cybersecurity should now be treated as a key requirement for protecting the UK’s infrastructure.

The importance of education to empower individuals and businesses across the nation

As cyber threats continue to proliferate and evolve, public education is crucial in helping to mitigate this risk. It is the Government’s duty to lead on public awareness efforts. Not only that, but it must also provide the resources required to help consumers and businesses alike stay protected. A strong national focus on proper cyber hygiene is key. This journey starts by educating those who are least familiar with digital risks. By empowering the public, the Government will be able to foster a culture of cyber hygiene across the nation.

Now is the time for the Labour Government to showcase its commitment to driving meaningful change. It must introduce the measures required to keep businesses and consumers’ data safe from the hands of threat actors. By providing statutory underpinning to the retirement of legacy technology, transitioning to secure digital communication methods and increasing public education efforts, the UK can stay safe against the growing cybercrime wave ensuring a safer digital future for all.

  • Cybersecurity

Related Stories

We believe in a personal approach

By working closely with our customers at every step of the way we ensure that we capture the dedication, enthusiasm and passion which has driven change within their organisations and inspire others with motivational real-life stories.