October is cyber security awareness month.

Here at UK Business IT, we are keen for you to get in touch if you have questions or concerns.

No-one could have failed to have noticed major issues during recent months, hitting high profile companies such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the Co-op, and M&S..

As cyber security month begins, JLR are just about to restart production following a month-long shut down. That is disastrous both for the prestige motor manufacturer and companies in the supply chain. It may be many months before the full consequences emerge.

Meanwhile, the Co-op says the “malicious” attack had caused “significant challenges” in the first half of 2025.Overall, the retailer reported a £75m underlying pre-tax loss in the six months to 5 July, compared to a £3m profit in the same period a year earlier.

Marks & Spencer, which stopped all online sales for six weeks following its hack, said it faced a £300m financial hit (source BBC News)..

What can you do to protect yourself against cyber crime?

Here is some advice from Police Scotland:

Criminals can take advantage of the internet and information technology. They do this for profit, notoriety or to cause harm.

Cyber security is how businesses can reduce the risk of becoming victims of a cyber incidents.

Cyber security is about protecting the devices we all use (smartphones, laptops, tablets and computers). It’s also about protecting the services we access from theft or damage.

It’s also about stopping people getting access to personal information we store on these devices.

It’s more important than ever to prevent cyber criminals get hold of our accounts, data and devices. This includes online banking and shopping, to email and social media.

Cybercrime takes many different forms. For example:

• Ransomware
• Account compromise
• Business email compromise
• Denial of service attack.

It is recommended that you:

• Make regular backups of important information. For example, photos and financial documents.

• Make sure the device with your backup is not permanently connected to your computer. Use an external hard drive or USB stick
• Consider backing up to the cloud. This means you’ll be able to access your data quickly from anywhere.

Keep your operating system and software (apps) up to date. Don’t put off adding updates. They contain patches that keep your device secure. This includes protection from ransomware and viruses.

Make sure your antivirus product is turned on and up to date. Windows has a built in malware protection tool (Microsoft Defender) which can be used.

Avoid downloading unofficial apps. Only use official app stores (like Google Play or the Apple App Store). They give protection from viruses.

The police add:

If your computer or device has been infected by ransomware (or any type of malware), you should:

Open your antivirus (AV) software and run a full scan. Follow any instructions given. If your AV can’t clean your device, you’ll have to wipe it entirely, factory-reset and re-install everything. This will start with your operating system.

Restore your backed-up data that you have kept on a separate device. This should be on a USB stick, external hard drive or cloud storage.

Do not copy any data from the infected computer or device.

If you receive a phone call offering help to clean up your computer, hang up immediately. This is a common tactic used by cyber criminals.

Protect your account with a strong password. Remember, a strong password will consist of at least 3 random words. It should be longer than 12 characters and include numbers, symbols and capital letters. It will be unique to that account and not used for other accounts.

Use 2-factor-authentication (2FA). This is sometimes called 2-factor verification. It is an extra layer of security to stop criminals accessing your account.

The police say you should never pay a ransom.

If you do:

• There is no guarantee that you will get access to your data or device
• Your device will still be infected
• You will be paying a criminal group
• You’re more likely to be targeted in the future.

Good advice.

UK Business IT can help. Please get in touch – www.ukbusinessit.co.uk/contact/

 

 

 

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