Building a cyber-aware culture and threat-protected business is the smartest risk investment to stay on top of the threat landscape.
In a move that highlights the escalating cyber threats, the UK government recently announced the launch of a dedicated Vulnerability Research Institute (VRI) to bolster UK business cyber security defences. Designed to bring together the public and private sectors as well as individuals, the VRI emphasises the importance of collaboration across our cyber defences.
“There is a broader systemic risk that many companies have begun to face: even with great internal defences, human error can compromise even the most robust security.” said Brian Sibley, VCTO, at Espria.
The UK’s new Vulnerability Research Institute adds a layer of promise by advancing knowledge sharing and understanding of industry wide infrastructure weaknesses.
“A 2025 Sophos report found that social engineering attacks such as malicious emails caused 37% of ransomware attacks in the UK last year – the very same modus operandi of Scattered Spider. Adding to the concern, over 40% of ransomware victims lacked the expertise to detect and stop an attack.
“These figures raise an important question; what is the business sector doing to plug the skills gap? Organisations must leverage vulnerability intelligence from institutions like VRI but also train staff to spot and respond appropriately to social engineering attacks to close the gap at both the human and technical level.”
Sibley emphasises the advantages of employee training in relation to recent attacks to raise general awareness across the business.
“For businesses lacking in formal training, they may find that the weakest link in security is not their tools and IT but their own people. Human error is what threat actors rely on as it only takes a momentary lapse in judgment to fall victim. To combat this, it is critical to continuously refresh employee knowledge on what to look out for.
“From the IT team to the reception desk, employees across the business should be provided with targeted training on threat spotting and taught the correct procedures for reporting suspicious behaviour and credentials resets. Additional training should also be considered for those who would be involved in the incident response process.
“However, the work does not stop there; businesses should regularly revisit their incident response plans and stress test them with cyber defense exercises. These can identify any gaps that could create issues during a real life incident.”
Sibley continued, “Preparation is equally important when it comes to creating a streamlined incident response. This level of preparedness and risk mitigation is something cyber insurers view favourably. Unfortunately, even the best cyber protection isn’t bulletproof, but the true value of a managed detection and response service lies in the expertise of its threat hunters and the remediation and recovery tools it delivers”.
“Depending on the nature of your business and the type of data you handle, such as payment information or personal customer details, your organisation may be at greater risk of common cyberattacks. Once robust monitoring and detection strategies are in place, cyber insurance can help protect the business from significant financial losses in the event of an incident.”
Sibley concluded, “Initiatives such as VRI may prove valuable in an increasingly digital world but this must be coupled with an internal proactive approach to cyber security. Although the retail sector is in the spotlight, threat actors are constantly seeking the weakest entry points for any and all businesses. Rather than waiting for your sector to make headlines, businesses should reassess their security controls and training now, and invest in cyber insurance to close the door of opportunity.”
