UK warns boards to boost cyber resilience after record attacks

The UK government and national cyber agency have urged business leaders to act after a record surge in serious cyberattacks that disrupted major firms and raised concerns about national resilience. In the 12 months to the end of August 2025 the National Cyber Security Centre recorded 429 incidents, of which 204 were classed as nationally significant, up from 89 the previous year. Eighteen incidents were categorised as highly significant, a rise of about 50 percent, officials said.

The rise in damaging breaches has affected household names across retail, manufacturing and services, including Marks and Spencer, the Co-op, Jaguar Land Rover and Harrods. Some incidents halted operations, disrupted supply chains and exposed customer data, prompting ministers and security chiefs to write to chairs and chief executives of leading firms, including all FTSE 350 companies, urging immediate steps to strengthen cyber resilience.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told executives, "We have seen first hand the disruption caused by cyber attacks on major British companies, hitting their bottom line and putting jobs at risk. The government stands ready to help, but cyber security is an issue that...