A recent investigation by Sky News has revealed an increase in cyberattacks linked to the Iran conflict, targeting organisations across various sectors.
In response, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking at the NATO Summit, called on businesses of all sizes and industries to prioritise cybersecurity and immediately review and bolster their defenses.
While the warning underscores the urgency of the threat, many organisations are already experiencing politically motivated cyberattacks, highlighting the need for heightened vigilance.
Clinton Groome, CEO of Espria, emphasised the importance of proactive measures:
“As tensions escalate globally, threat actors will continue to exploit digital vulnerabilities, and even neutral businesses risk being caught in the crossfire. This situation underscores a crucial lesson—businesses should not wait for government alerts to act. Instead, IT leaders need to invest in integrated defenses, educate their users, and develop a clear cybersecurity strategy now.”
A persistent challenge for organisations remains human error, which cyber experts warn is often exploited by attackers. Groome advocates strengthening the human firewall—employees—by fostering cybersecurity awareness across the entire organisation.
“Cyber resilience isn’t just about technology; it’s about people. Social engineering attacks thrive on distraction, fear, and information overload,” Groome explained. “Shockingly, a BT study found that 39% of SMEs — around 2 million businesses — haven’t even provided cybersecurity training for their staff, leaving them dangerously vulnerable.”
He recommends regular training exercises, incident response drills, and ongoing reinforcement of best practices to cultivate a security-conscious workforce. Combining these efforts with layered defenses — such as multi-factor authentication, timely patching, and securing IoT devices — can significantly reduce human-related risks and limit potential fallout.
