More than one in four UK businesses have fallen victim to a cyber-attack over the past year, with many others at risk of “sleepwalking” into similar disruption unless urgent preventative action is taken, according to a new report. Reports Technology News
A survey conducted by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), in partnership with facilities managers, service providers, and consultancies, revealed that 27% of companies experienced a cyber-attack on their building in the last 12 months. This marks a significant rise from 16% reported the previous year.
Alarmingly, nearly three-quarters (73%) of more than 8,000 business leaders surveyed believe that a cybersecurity breach could disrupt their operations within the next 12 to 24 months. Rics has flagged cybersecurity and digital risk as among the most serious and rapidly growing threats facing building owners and occupiers today.
One high-profile example came in April when Marks & Spencer was hit by a major cyber-attack that forced the retailer to suspend online orders for nearly seven weeks. The disruption led to a 20% drop in clothing sales over a four-week period to 25 May, allowing competitors like Next, Zara, and H&M to gain market share.
With cybercriminals employing increasingly sophisticated methods, attacks on critical infrastructure and data systems are becoming more frequent, Rics warned. The problem is expected to escalate further as artificial intelligence capabilities grow and technology continues to evolve at speed.
