Recent cyber-attacks on Marks & Spencer and Co-op underscore a dangerous reality for UK businesses: cybercriminals are increasingly sophisticated and bold. These incidents, causing significant operational disruption and potential data breaches, demand a renewed focus on robust cyber resilience.
The attacks hit M&S with online order issues potentially costing over £300 million and lasting until July. Co-op also took systems offline due to a potential attack involving stolen customer and staff data held for ransom. Some reports link these, and a Harrods incident, to the DragonForce group, with police also investigating the Scattered Spider collective, known for social engineering tactics.
These are not isolated events. The UK faces a surge in advanced cyber-attacks. The Government’s 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 43% of businesses experienced a breach or attack in the last year, a figure rising to 67% for medium and 74% for large businesses. Phishing remains a dominant tactic, cited by 85% of those breached, with AI now increasing scam sophistication. Ransomware attacks are a major concern, having reportedly doubled in prevalence year-on-year among UK businesses in 2025, affecting an estimated 19,000 organisations, following significant increases in previous years. While the average cost of the most disruptive breach for medium and large UK businesses was £10,830 in 2024, major incidents demonstrate that these costs can be far higher. Alarmingly, recent surveys indicate that only a minority of UK businesses are adequately prepared, with as few as 31% conducting a cyber risk assessment in 2024 and just 15% having a formal incident management plan.
These statistics highlight a clear and present danger. A reactive cybersecurity approach is no longer enough.
Building Cyber Resilience with XMA
Proactive, comprehensive cyber resilience is crucial. XMA provides tailored cybersecurity solutions and expert guidance to bolster defences and ensure swift recovery. We begin with understanding your current security stance through Cyber Security Assessments, including Cyber Essentials, industry framework mapping, and detailed checks of Active Directory, M365 security, email health, network security, and shadow IT.
We then focus on bolstering your defences by deploying a wide array of cutting-edge security solutions. This includes Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), robust Identity & Access Management (IAM), data loss prevention (DLP), secure email and web gateways, and web application and API protection (WAAP). For organisations leveraging cloud environments, we offer Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP).
XMA further strengthens your corporate network by securing your networks and infrastructure with solutions like Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Network Access Control (NAC), and specialised security for IoT and Operational Technology (OT). Arguable, one of the most important steps is recognising the human element, so we guide your staff through Security Awareness Training to combat threats like phishing. We also make sure you have everything you need to meet Cyber Security Essentials standards. Crucially, we help ensure business continuity with robust backup, recovery, and disaster recovery solutions, whether data is stored on-premises, or in the cloud. We employ a wide array of subject matter experts for testing, transformation, compliance, implementation, and advisory needs, acting as an extension of your team.
The attacks on M&S and Co-Op are stark warnings. Cybersecurity is a fundamental business risk requiring strategic investment. Partnering with XMA helps businesses build a resilient cybersecurity posture against today’s and tomorrow’s sophisticated attacks.
Don’t wait. Contact XMA today at enquiries@xma.co.uk to enhance your cyber resilience.
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