UK businesses are rapidly losing confidence in the government’s ability to protect them from cyberattacks. This is according to a new report from cybersecurity researchers Armis, which states that the lack of faith is higher than anywhere else in Europe.
To draft the report, Armis surveyed more than 2,600 global security and IT decision-makers, and included proprietary data from Armins Labs.
In the paper, the company said that more than half (52%) of UK IT leaders believe the government can’t defend its citizens and enterprises from cyberwarfare, down from last year, when 77% thought otherwise.
Attacks rising
To put things in perspective, in Germany, 40% of IT pros don’t trust their governments, while in France, 42% said the same.
At the same time, threats are on the rise. Global events, including the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, tensions between China and Taiwan, US presidential elections, and the UK elections set to take place before the end of the year, are all turning the internet into a full-blown battlefield, and UK companies are on the front lines, the survey’s respondents believe.
Almost half (46%) of those surveyed in the UK said geopolitical tensions created a greater threat of cyberwarfare, and 45% added that Russia is a bigger threat than China. Furthermore, 50% believe North Korea is capable of triggering a “full-scale cyberware” that could cripple critical infrastructure all over the world.
Even without further escalation, UK businesses are suffering. Almost half (43%) experienced either one or two breaches in the last year. More than half (54%) experienced the same threat levels throughout the year, while 18% saw an increase.
Organizations in the utilities sector, as well as those in medical, healthcare, and pharmaceutical, have seen a “dramatic” rise in threats over the last 12 months, 37% and 42% respectively. Only a quarter have a plan on how to mitigate such threats.
“The IT industry's overwhelming sentiment that the government will be unable to keep citizens safe and the country secure underscores a critical shortfall in defensive measures to date,” said David Critchley, Regional Director, UK & Ireland, Armis.
“In this pivotal election year, it's imperative for the government and organizations to proactively rebuild national confidence by enhancing defensive cybersecurity strategies, coming together where they can to maximize forward strides. A robust investment in cybersecurity, coupled with the deployment of AI-driven tech, is our best chance to shield society from the threat of cyberwarfare," Critchley said.
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