London, December 16, 2024 – A recent cyber security report conducted by Horizon3.ai, a leading cyber security company, reveals the growing severity and diversity of cyber threats faced by organisations across the United Kingdom. The report, titled “Cyber Security Report UK 2024/25”, surveyed 150 organisations from various industries and critical infrastructures, including telecommunications, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, education, and research.
The report highlights the need for companies to strengthen their cyber defences and proactively test their systems from an attacker’s perspective. According to the report, nearly half of the surveyed organisations (48%) consider stolen user and admin credentials as one of the most significant cyber security threats they face. This is followed by concerns over insufficiently secured data and unknown data stores (42%) and attacks via unpatched but known security vulnerabilities in corporate networks (29%).
Keith Poyser, Vice President for EMEA at Horizon3.ai, warns that the belief that software can be completely invulnerable or that conventional cyber security defences are sufficient is a common misjudgement. He explains, “Most organisations today use dozens, if not hundreds, of software applications and solutions, creating an expansive attack surface. A vulnerability remains harmless only until a hacker uncovers how to exploit it. Real-world exploitable vulnerabilities are chained together to form effective attack paths, with clear business impact.”
Poyser stresses the importance of regular and continuous penetration testing as a solution to these threats. He recommends organisations to conduct self-assessments of their infrastructure in order to identify vulnerabilities and other weaknesses in advance. However, the report reveals that almost a third of organisations (32%) do not conduct penetration tests, leaving them vulnerable to cyber attacks.
The report also sheds light on the financial and reputational damage that can result from cyber attacks. 69% of the surveyed companies reported falling victim to a cyber attack at least once in the past two years, with 62% experiencing downtime and 54% receiving ransom demands. Poyser emphasizes the urgency for organisations to strengthen their cyber security defences and remediate exploitable weaknesses, stating, “The increasing frequency and complexity of these attacks highlights the urgent need for organisations to strengthen their cyber security defences and remediate exploitable weaknesses to protect themselves from financial and reputational damage.”
Furthermore, the report reveals that a shocking 66% of the surveyed companies have little to no adequate protection against cyber attacks, while only 17% have taken measures but consider them insufficient. Poyser emphasizes that while awareness of the importance of robust protection against cyber attacks is growing, resources to meet the challenge are often lacking. He urges organisations to adopt a more proactive approach to effectively protect their systems and stay ahead of cyber criminals.
About Horizon3.ai and NodeZero:
Horizon3.ai is a leading cyber security company that provides a cloud-based platform, NodeZero, enabling organisations and public authorities to simulate self-assessments on their IT infrastructure to assess their cyber resilience through penetration testing. The platform offers affordable, regular penetration testing and continuously monitors the cybercrime landscape to ensure that newly discovered vulnerabilities are swiftly integrated into the system. NodeZero not only identifies security flaws but also offers tailored recommendations for remediation. Through this platform, Horizon3.ai helps organisations meet rising regulatory demands for cyber resilience in Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC).
Trademark notice: NodeZero is a trademark of Horizon3.ai.
Media Contact:
Horizon3.AI Europe GmbHSebastian-Kneipp-Str. 4160439 Frankfurt am MainWeb: www.horizon3.ai
PR Agency:euromarcom public relations GmbHTel. +49 611 973150Web: www.euromarcom.deE-Mail: team@euromarcom.de
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