Massive threats from cyberattacks in the UK

There are massive threats from cyberattacks in the UK that organisations face and we, as the people whose information could be misused or exposed, need to be wary of the risks.

Much more needs to be done to make sure that cybersecurity remains a priority in the UK to stop information from falling into the hands of criminals. When the worst happens, victims should know that the GDPR can entitle them to claim compensation on a No Win, No Fee basis – you can contact our expert team for free, no-obligation legal advice here now.

Continual threats of cyberattacks in the UK

We are facing continuous threats from cyberattacks in the UK, and it has been the case that the volume and severity of them increased as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. At a time when much of the country was forced to adapt the way in which we work (mainly from home), hackers took the opportunity to seize on weaker cybersecurity and hit more vulnerable targets. At the same time, because there was so much of a focus on dealing with the financial fallout of the pandemic, and a lot of businesses were struggling, hackers have looked to take advantage of this situation also.

In reality, every single organisation in the UK should be continually prepared and ready to be hit by a significant cyberattack. If you expect the worst then you can prepare for the worst, and that really is the long and short of it.

Cybersecurity should be a conversation that is being had right at the top level of any organisation and it should be a focal point for all employees as well. Whilst there is the need to deploy specialist cybersecurity systems and defences, as well as recruiting or outsourcing experts to assist, it only takes one mistake or error for hackers to break into systems and servers. It can often be the case that human error is the biggest worry to look out for as employees can be the biggest risk factor that can allow hackers to find a way in.

The number of cyberattacks in the UK increased significantly during the coronavirus pandemic and we do not expect that the efforts of hackers will slow down. We all need to be wary, and victims whose information has been exposed or misused as a result of a data breach should know their rights.

If anybody has been the victim of a data breach that stems from a cyberattack where there is negligence on the part of the organisation that was hit by the hack, we may be able to help. The GDPR can entitle the victim to claim data breach compensation for any distress caused by the loss of control of personal information. We may be able to represent you for a claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.

Contact our expert team here now for free, no-obligation legal advice.

Are things set to get worse?

Worryingly, cyberattacks in the UK could be set to continue to get worse and worse as the cost-of-living crisis in the UK is set to worsen. With businesses potentially struggling to meet massive energy costs, combined with a fall in demand from the squeeze caused by inflation, hackers may seize the opportunity when cybersecurity may fall by the wayside.

This is something that all organisations need to be aware of but, really, the government must step in as soon as possible in my view to stop the UK economy problems. Hackers do target vulnerable victims and they will exploit situations such as this, with the COVID-19 pandemic being a case in point.

WannaCry: NHS hacked in 2017 still a major example

In 2017, the NHS was hacked as part of the massive WannaCry incident. That happened before the coronavirus pandemic and before the looming economic crisis, so think how much more at risk the NHS could be now unless things change.

We often raise this point because cyberattacks in the healthcare industry can literally be a matter of life and death for patients. If service capacity is reduced as a result of systems being down, patients are at risk. This must be something that the government takes seriously.

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