Too little too late – The real Cybersecurity Story

Even today, as a retired Cybersecurity Consultant I look and shake my head at how little UK companies invest in the protection of their data systems and their clients data.

The UK Government is hardly any better, at a grass roots level, Councils have so little in the way of real cybersecurity relying on Anti-Virus and Firewalls instead of real pro-active monitoring and management. It is diabolical.

Recent UK News Articles on Lack of Preparedness for Cyber Incidents

Public Sector & Government

UK Public Sector Unprepared: A survey revealed that 60% of UK public sector IT leaders consider a successful cyber attack "inevitable," citing advanced criminal tactics outpacing internal capabilities. Many organisations lack proactive threat hunting and risk management strategies, with reactive postures and slow breach detection times1.
National Audit Office (NAO) Warning: The NAO called for urgent action after highlighting grave cyber preparedness risks across government. The report urges rapid cross-departmental action and skills development, as recent attacks (like the June 2024 NHS incident) demonstrate the vulnerability of public services to cyber threats2.
UK Government Criticized: The Public Accounts Committee has heard that the government remains underprepared for catastrophic cyber attacks, hampered by legacy IT and skill shortages, despite some progress on strategy and leadership3.
Cyber Resilience Gap: Parliamentary reports state a "significant gap between the threat and government’s response," with adversaries advancing faster than government defences, especially regarding ransomware and hostile state activity4.

Private Sector & Business

Overall Business Gaps: Cisco's 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index reported that just 4% of UK organisations achieved a "mature" level of readiness, with most firms exhibiting "alarming gaps" in their ability to defend against modern attacks. There is a notable lack of urgency in addressing these risks5.
Retail Sector: Research found only 25% of UK retailers feel "highly prepared" to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber attacks, pointing to substantial vulnerabilities in retail cybersecurity infrastructure6 7.
SMEs at Risk: Among UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), only 19% possess a formal cyber incident response plan. Over three-quarters have no internal security measures, and a large proportion underestimate cyber risk to their operations and reputation8.

Critical Infrastructure

NHS & Healthcare Sector: A study highlighted high cyber awareness within the National Health Service (NHS), but widespread frustration over legacy systems and an overall lack of preparedness. Only 36% of NHS staff believe current cyber security is sufficient, while 60% express a need for more training9 10.
Key National Concerns: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warns that UK critical infrastructure faces enduring and significant threats, with an urgent need for improved readiness, resilience, and coordinated government investment11.

Selected Article Table

Sector	Article & Date	Key Findings
Public Sector	UK public sector unprepared for cyber-attacks (June 2025)1	60% of leaders expect successful attack; mainly reactive strategies.
Business (General)	UK firms have 'alarming gaps' in cybersecurity readiness (May 2025)5	Only 4% of firms are 'mature'; broad unpreparedness and lack of urgency.
Retail	Survey of UK retailers shows lack of preparedness (June 2025)6	Just 25% feel highly prepared for cyber incidents.
SMEs	UK SMEs Alarmingly Underprepared for Cyber Threats (Mar 2024)8	77% lack internal security measures, 19% have a response plan.
NHS/Healthcare	Research reveals NHS cyber security perceptions (Feb 2025)9	High awareness, but legacy systems and insufficient preparedness.
Government	NAO calls for urgent action... (Jan 2025)2	Skills gap, aging infrastructure, inadequate cross-government coordination.
Parliament/Government	Government cyber resilience - Parliament UK (May 2025)4	“Significant gap” between threat and government response; calls for updates.

Key Themes Across Coverage

Wide recognition of increased cyber threats but lagging skills, outdated technology, and underinvestment.
Reactive rather than proactive approaches: Many organisations still lack response plans and regular risk reviews.
Sector-wide challenges: From healthcare to retailers and SMEs, preparedness is uneven and often insufficient.
Calls for urgent reform: Government and expert bodies stress the need for rapid improvement in planning, training, and investment.

Grumpy Old Guy