Oliver Dowden, the Cabinet Office minister, issued the alert in response to a recent increase in cyber-attacks targeting businesses across the UK. The warning was directed at organizations in critical sectors such as healthcare, finance, and energy, as well as those involved in national security.

This alert emphasized the importance of implementing robust cybersecurity measures including:

• Updating software and systems
• Using multi-factor authentication
• Carrying out regular security audits and
• Bolstering or upgrading current security solutions

 It also urged businesses to be vigilant against email attacks, highlighting phishing attacks (which remain one of the most common methods used by cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data).

In addition to the Cabinet Office, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) highlighted the need for businesses to have an incident response plan in place in the event of a cyber-attack. This includes having a designated team in place to handle the incident and ensuring that all employees are aware of the correct procedures to follow.

The warning from the NCSC comes in the wake of several high-profile cyber-attacks on UK businesses, including the recent attack on the National Health Service's IT systems, which caused widespread disruption and forced several hospitals to cancel appointments and surgeries. Or the targeted attack on Royal Mail earlier this year, with the LockBit group demanding an $80m ransom.

The Cabinet Office and NCSC's warnings serve as a timely reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for businesses, particularly those in critical sectors. It is vital that businesses take steps to protect their systems and data from cyber-attacks, and that they are prepared to respond effectively in the event of an incident.

The UK's NCSC national alert to key businesses about the growing threat of cyber-attacks is a crucial reminder that our businesses and critical industries must continue to keep their finger on the pulse. The time for robust cybersecurity measures is now.

It is important for businesses to take this warning seriously and take steps to protect their systems and data from cybercriminals. By implementing zero trust technologies and staying vigilant, businesses can reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and protect themselves from potential damage.

Joanna Crossley