A quarter of all UK businesses were struck by a cyberattack last year

One in four businesses in the United Kingdom was the victim of a cyberattack last year. And many more are at risk of ‘sleepwalking’ into a cybersecurity-related incident.

According to a report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), 27 percent of all British companies indicate they suffered a cyberattack in the past 12 months. Compared to a year ago, the number is up from 16 percent.

Approximately three-quarters (73 percent) of all business leaders believe hackers will disrupt the company’s operations within the next 12 to 24 months, making digital risks one of the biggest threats to business owners.

As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, attacks on critical infrastructure and data breaches will become more common. Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to do more harm to businesses if they don’t keep up with the pace technology is evolving.

“Buildings are no longer just bricks and mortar; they have evolved into smart, interconnected digital environments embracing increasingly sophisticated and ever-evolving technologies to enhance occupier experience. This has led to increasing data being collected and used to inform decision-making,” Paul Bagust, Head of Property Practice at RICS, tells British news outlet The Guardian.

He recognizes that technology has brought many benefits to entrepreneurs, but it also creates multiple risks and vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious threat actors. This ranges from abusing automated lighting and heating, energy management and air conditioning systems to misusing security protocols.

That’s why it’s so important for business owners to secure building management systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV) networks, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and access control systems.

“It is inconceivable to imagine a world where technology will not continue to pose a growing risk to a building’s operation. Failure to identify these growing digital challenges and incorporate security countermeasures risks businesses sleepwalking into cyberattacks,” Bagust stresses.