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In 2026, understanding cyber security is critical
Today, data security is more important than ever. The 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 43% of UK businesses had been impacted by a cyberattack in the past year. Cybercrime is on the rise, attack vectors are expanding and government regulations are tightening.
If businesses think they won’t be breached – that they are too small to be a target or that a thin level of security will be robust enough – they are sadly mistaken. In the modern cyber threat landscape, it isn’t a matter of if a business will be breached, but when.
So, how can businesses best protect themselves from these threats?
By understanding how they can be hacked, how various layers of security tools can help to keep important systems and data secure and how Landall Services can provide these services, acting as an external shield against cyber risks.
Definition of cyber security
To give a simple definition, cyber security refers to the people, technology and processes used to defend user systems from cyber attackers. The best security strategies will use a combination of defence methods to mitigate the chance of a breach from multiple attack vectors.
This is not just phone or computer security, but any technology that has a remote connection. This includes IoT (Internet of Things) devices that might not be thought of as at risk, like smart fridges or printers.
With the number of potential threats increasing, security awareness has become something that is essential for all users in a business, from interns to board members. Common types of cyber attacks are becoming more effective, and security services are constantly fighting to keep pace with bad actors.
The reality of cyber attacks today
Security incidents are becoming more dangerous as technology progresses. AI and automation make it easier and faster to create targeted, complex attacks. These breaches are designed to focus on disruption, costing businesses time and money: traditional security is no longer enough.
More recently, as businesses adopt more third-party digital services, attacks on vendors are becoming more common. In response, the government is taking steps to reduce these risks by introducing a bill to try to build resilience against these types of attacks.
Additionally, the average cost of a business’ most destructive cyber breach is on the rise. In 2024 it was £1,205; in 2025 it was £1600. In short, the challenge faced by security analysts is significant, and businesses need protection more than ever.
Common types of cyber threats
Phishing and social engineering
Through subterfuge and manipulation, bad actors can obtain key credentials, access, or money directly from users, tricking them into giving critical details away. Often this is done via email, but it can be achieved over the phone, via deepfake videos or through internal communication systems within a business.
85% of businesses in the UK identified phishing as the most common form of cyberattack. AI and automation makes it faster and easier to create targeted campaigns that are harder to detect and counter, meaning this is likely to increase.Â
Malware
This common form of security threat is carried in malicious phishing emails, downloads or websites, releasing into the user’s device once activated. Threats include viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, ransomware and adware. All types of malware work slightly differently, but their goal is always to cause businesses disruption.
Malware can erase data, steal it, damage corporate systems, give criminals remote access to key internal systems or can lock data behind encryption and force businesses to pay a ransom for release: all of which can be costly.
The threat malware poses is increasing, with AI allowing bad actors to produce more powerful malware at a faster rate. This makes it difficult for basic security systems to be effective. Additionally, automations allow malware to spread more rapidly, bombarding users with phishing emails constantly and automatically.
Supply chain cyberattacks
These attacks have become more frequent in the last year, with the highly publicised M&S and Jaguar Land Rover incidents having a significant impact on the UK. It refers to when threat actors target third party vendors in the supply chain to breach companies connected to them.
To give an example, say there is a business with expert security architecture, but they use a third-party organisation to run their digital Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) system. If that external company doesn’t have adequate security, an attack on them could result in the first business being compromised, with bad actors using the connection between them to get past the security setup and reach important data.
This type of attack has become so destructive that the UK government has stepped in. New legislation is being created that puts more of an emphasis on vendor security. It highlights the need for robust resilience across all businesses to give the best chance of remaining secure.
Insider threats
Some threats come from inside businesses, either through malicious intent or mistakes made by staff. Disgruntled employees may steal and sell on private data, or cause damage to systems internally using malware.
In addition, staff errors can lead to accidental security risks, like leaving vital credentials accessible to unauthorised users, either online or physically (from passkeys to key cards). Insider threats prove that there is no limit to the malicious methods that may be used against businesses.
IoT (Internet of Things) and office equipment threats
IoT refers to any kind of technology that has a remote connection, and is therefore vulnerable to cyberattack, but isn’t something not traditionally considered being an online device such as a computer or phone.
This could include printers, scanners, smart fridges, smart thermostats: anything that can be connected to and has access to personal data. IoT security is particularly relevant for Landall Services as we sell printers and other office management products. By integrating our services, we ensure that all our customers’ IoT devices are secure.
…and more
While these are the most common methods of attack, there are numerous others. Hopefully these examples give an idea of the challenge businesses face in remaining secure and why it is more important than ever to invest in trusted security policies.
Cyber security best practices
People and culture
Many of these attack methods rely on users being taken advantage of, either through manipulation or lack of knowledge. For the best security, staff should undergo security awareness training, so they understand what to expect.
Ideally, security training exercises should be done to simulate attacks so that businesses can create robust policies to help to avoid a breach and response plans to ensure everyone knows what to do if the worst happens. Learning the basics of email security, common threats and best practices can be critical in reducing the risk of cyber attack.
Identity and access management
This refers to all the steps that can be taken to ensure no unauthorised users can access private accounts and the data within them. Multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access, password managers and least privileged access can all put another layer of protection on key accounts.
The idea is that if credentials are leaked or guessed, bad actors must get through another type of security before they gain access. By implementing security in multiple layers, it puts hurdles in front of a cybercriminal, reducing the chance of a breach occurring.
Network security and infrastructure
Firewalls are the first line of defence against most common cyber threats, while network segmentation keeps systems segmented so if a breach occurs, only part of the business goes down. It is also important that Wi-Fi is secure, for the best chance of a secure network.
In terms of infrastructure, good logging and monitoring is essential. Threats can be prevented before they become disruptive and lessons can be learnt from minor breaches to reduce the chance of a significant one.
Furthermore, embracing a zero-trust mindset can prevent breaches from occurring. Zero-trust refers to treating all correspondence as if it was a threat, meaning that users never take any risks, never give away sensitive information to unknown sources and never allow threats to attack computer systems.
Monitoring, detection and response
SOC – Security Operations Centre – teams work 24/7 to spot and prevent threats before they develop. Using the latest threat intelligence, they react to breaches quickly, informing staff immediately to stop incidents from spreading.
Additionally, it is important that infrastructure security doesn’t stop after a breach happens. Incidents need to be forensically analysed and reviewed, using SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) platforms to learn from errors, while providing logging that is essential for government regulations.
Data protection and recovery
In the event of an attack, data needs to be securely backed up and recoverable: ransomware scammers can’t threaten to delete sensitive data if there is a copy of it. There should also be plans in place to recover fast from a breach, to reduce the potential downtime costs.
Security audits
Regular security audits are useful for businesses needing comprehensive protection. An external company reviews security systems, like the level of threat monitoring or endpoint security, and searches for vulnerabilities, missing elements or poorly integrated solutions.
Once this data is collected, a report is sent to ensure that security focuses on these areas by making changes or investing in more advanced technology. The result is that these vulnerabilities are fixed to prevent them from being exploited and to protect against cyber attacks.
Document and workflow security practices
At Landall Services, we pay particular attention to this as it impacts many of the services we provide. Secure print release, encrypted scanning and document access controls are vital for keeping documents secure and only accessible by authorised people.
…and more
There are always new methods of keeping businesses’ systems secure, with security controls fighting to keep pace with the escalation and growth of evolving threats. For example, AI security software has been developed to respond to threats that use AI, enhancing regular security to meet new criminal methods.Â
Maintaining a positive security posture is a constant struggle, but security solutions like the ones listed can help. It should be evident though that layered security is the key to robust defence and each threat requires a unique method of defence.
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Cybersecurity frameworks, regulations and compliance
UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
GDPR is the baseline law that governs how personal data is collected, stored and used by organisations. These are outlined by key principles that organisations must follow and rights that individuals have under UK law. If GDPR isn’t met and identity security isn’t upheld, it can lead to substantial fines, reputational damage and legal consequences.
Data Protection Act 2018
The Data Protection Act 2018 governs how GDPR is applied in the UK, as well as covering further rules around law enforcement and national security data. Since leaving the EU it has become more significant, and, as with GDPR, the consequences of not meeting the requirements in the act can be extensive.
Cyber Essentials
Widely used by SMEs, and a requirement for many contracts in the public sector, Cyber Essentials is the minimum recommended approach to cyber security for organisations in the UK. There is also a Plus version that goes beyond the original framework.
By meeting the standards outlined in these frameworks, businesses improve security while also gaining a benefit: to potential clients or customers, Cyber Essentials is a mark of reliability. It proves that your business can be trusted to protect the data it has, making it more likely that any client data will also remain secure.
…and more
While these are the most significant, there are other frameworks available, and more legislation is released all the time. By being aware of what standards businesses have to meet, and what they should be doing to bolster security, cybersecurity posture can be improved overall.
How Landall Services can help improve cyber resilience
With a better understanding of the threat landscape, how a detailed cyber security strategy can help and what security methods are needed to meet compliance, you may be considering investing in computer security. There are multiple ways this can be done:
Internal cyber security
Some businesses are fortunate to have their security orchestration on site in the business, with someone employed by the business covering it. While it can be good to have easy access to staff who can make changes or improvements, often cyber security is neglected, just being one element of a person’s job that gets ignored.
External cyber security
An external SOC team can cover all your security solutions remotely, being easily contactable over the phone or via email. The benefit of this method is that you get multiple people with a range of skills and experience working on problems, constantly providing you with the latest applications, updates and information. Additionally, for an external team, cyber security is their only focus – they may have other clients, but providing cyber security support is the only thing they do.
While either is an option, for the best cyber security results, you want to hire the experts to take care of it. Landall Services can offer comprehensive cyber security support, and because we can also offer IT and office management services, everything is covered. Please get in touch if you would like to learn more.
