2025 cyber attacks 'tipping point'

CYBER attacks came to prominence in 2025 with a handful of major incidents that cost big British businesses dearly.

- ANNA WISE

Jaguar Land Rover, Marks & Spencer and Harrods were some of the biggest firms to be targeted this year.

The scale of the incidents and their effect on the businesses, their staff and customers and the wider economy also highlighted that firms of all sizes can be vulnerable to attacks.

Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, said he thought cyber attacks were one of the biggest threats to UK financial stability and it was “critically important” to work together to guard against them.

Mike Maddison, chief executive of cyber security company NCC Group, said 2025 has “served as a tipping point’.

“Cyber attacks are far from new, but 2025 has shown just how deeply cyber risk is intertwined with economic stability and business continuity,” he said.

Data from NCC shows that global ransomware attacks broke records in January and February, with 590 and 886 respectively.

Ransomware refers to software used by cyber criminals to access the computer systems of their victims, which can then be encrypted or data stolen until a ransom is paid.

A survey conducted by insurer Hiscox earlier this year found that 59% of small to medium businesses had experienced a cyber attack over the past 12 months, and 27% faced a ransomware attack.