26 June 2025

Ransomware attacks targeting the retail sector increased by 40% in May compared to April, according to recent findings from NCC Group. While global ransomware activity saw a slight decrease of 6% in May — with 393 attacks recorded worldwide — security experts caution that this decline does not equate to diminished risk, especially given evolving cybercriminal strategies and ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The report highlights that the industrial sector continued to be the primary target, accounting for 30% of all ransomware cases in May, or 118 incidents. However, the consumer discretionary sector, including retail, experienced a significant uptick, with attacks rising from 73 in April to 102 in May. Experts attribute this surge to the sector’s attractiveness as a high-value target, given the potential for disrupting payment systems, accessing consumer data, and extracting substantial ransom payments.

25 June 2025

A new study highlights the increasing reliance on data-driven insights among UK businesses amid growing competition and economic uncertainty.

According to research conducted by Splunk, 58% of IT decision makers express concerns over the rapid expansion of data within their organisations, citing issues related to security, compliance, and operational risk. The survey, which polled 500 IT leaders from companies with 250 or more employees, found that 97% have experienced a surge in demand for data insights over the past two years. Additionally, 29% of these decision makers reported their data volumes have doubled in the last three years, with 11% seeing their data triple or more.