M&S, Co-op, Harrods. Three household names. Three devastating cyber attacks. One harsh lesson for every UK SME owner.
Think you’re too small to matter? Think again. 46% of all cyber breaches target businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Your size isn’t protection—it’s a bullseye.
The M&S attack started with a phone call. Hackers rang their IT helpdesk, posed as internal staff, and sweet-talked their way to system access. No sophisticated malware. No zero-day exploits. Just good old-fashioned social engineering.
The result? £300 million in losses, empty shelves, and 46 days of online sales suspension.
Whilst M&S has armies of IT professionals, most SMEs are flying blind. 56% outsource their security without proper oversight. Staff at small businesses face 350% more social engineering attacks than their enterprise counterparts.
The attackers know this. They’re specifically targeting smaller firms because we’re easier prey.
Phishing 2.0: AI-generated emails that perfectly mimic your suppliers, banks, even your own CEO.
Supply Chain Attacks: Your security is only as good as your weakest supplier—and hackers know it.
The Human Factor: 80% of successful attacks exploit compromised passwords or tricked employees.
Stop treating cybersecurity as an IT problem – it’s a business survival issue.
Immediate Actions:
Budget Reality: Allocate 7-12% of your IT spend to security. Can’t afford it? You definitely can’t afford a breach.
The M&S attack began in February and detonated in April. The hackers were patient, methodical, and devastatingly effective.
Your business holds customer data, financial records, and commercial secrets. You’re already a target—the only question is whether you’ll be ready.
Don’t wait for your own headline. Start protecting your business today.