Why Proactive Cyber Defence Can’t Wait, Lessons from Recent Threats
In today’s threat landscape, waiting to act is no longer an option. The latest wave of cyberattacks targeting UK SMEs and critical infrastructure reminds us that reactive security is not enough.
At Innovaro, we’ve seen a sharp rise in sophisticated phishing campaigns and supply chain compromises that bypass traditional defences. From the well-known techniques like phishing emails or increased usage of voice phishing both with the intent to socially engineer their way into an organisation, adversaries are finding new ways to improve the efficacy of their attacks and methods to circumvent traditional solutions and approaches to security.
So how do you stay ahead?
Educate First:
Empowering your team is the first line of defence, identity-based attacks continue to be the prolific for many reasons. Regular threat awareness training ensures your staff can spot the signs of phishing, spoofing, and business email compromise before damage is done. It’s not about fear, it’s about readiness.
Invest in Prevention, Not Just Response:
The difference between recovery and continuity often comes down to early detection. We work with leading vendors to deploy solutions and services, leveraging an approach known as defence in depth. These services include secure email gateways, identity protection, managed detection and response, next-generation firewalls and many more to cover the various techniques, tactics and procedures being used by adversaries.
Learn from What’s Happening Right Now:
It has been a year fraught with security incidents for some high-profile UK businesses, some of these incidents include:
In April M&S was compromised by social engineering of a third-party supplier, ultimately resulting in ransomware encrypting key systems and data as well as theft of sensitive customer data. Loss to business so far has been estimated at £300 million, with further financial penalties possible.
In May Co-op experienced a breach of their systems, Co-op confirmed loss of sensitive customer information including names, addresses, contact details and dates of birth. Supply chain problems were widely reported impacting customer experience in store.
Going back a little further, in October 2023 the British Library experienced a cyber-attack, they have been unable to identify how initial access was attained but unauthorised access to remote access solution was observed. The incident resulted in 600Gb of data being exfiltrated and encryption of their systems including onsite backups. It was only in October 2024 that they reported that they had restored 100% of their library’s printed collections to pre-incident levels, and at that time recovery of other data and services was still ongoing. They have published a full incident review which details what was impacted, the challenges they faced in recovery of their systems and is a valuable read for stakeholders.
Every day there are security incidents that do not make the press or are not disclosed to bodies like the ICO, these incidents are just as damaging for the businesses unfortunate enough to be targeted.
How would your business be able to detect, contain and remediate from similar incidents?
The bottom-line:
Cyber threats are evolving rapidly due to increasingly sophisticated hacking tools, the rise of AI-driven attacks, and the growing interconnectedness of digital systems including vulnerable third-party suppliers. As attackers exploit both technical and human weaknesses, traditional defences often fall short. Innovaro can help organisations stay ahead of these threats by providing advanced threat intelligence, proactive risk assessments, and cutting-edge cyber security solutions tailored to an ever-changing threat landscape. With a focus on innovation and resilience, Innovaro empowers businesses to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents with speed and confidence.
Cyber risk is a business risk. And the companies that come out ahead are the ones who invest in cyber maturity before the breach, not after.
If you’re ready to move beyond basic defences and build a security posture that’s as dynamic as the threats you face, we’re here to help.
Reach out to the team at Innovaro.
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