October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, the perfect time to make sure your digital doors are locked and your defences are strong. With cyberattacks on the rise, even small oversights can lead to data leaks, downtime, or serious reputational harm. So, let’s look at what’s been happening across the industry and how you can protect your business this month and beyond.
Why Cyber Security Still Matters in 2025
Cybercrime is everywhere, and growing. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 found that almost half of UK businesses and an incredible 91% of universities faced attacks in the past year. Three in four people now say they don’t feel confident their data is safe online.
The truth? No business is too small to be targeted. Hackers don’t just go after big names; they look for the easiest way in, outdated software, unsecured websites, or a simple human error.
What We Can Learn from Recent Cyber Attacks
Cyber incidents in 2025 have shown just how creative and disruptive attacks can be. Here are a few key examples, and what they can teach us.
Jaguar Land Rover: A Costly Production Halt
Earlier this year, JLR suffered a major cyberattack that shut down production lines for weeks. The group behind it had reportedly been probing systems for months before striking. Lesson: Watch for the warning signs. Many attacks start small, with unusual activity or login attempts, before turning into something serious.
Marks & Spencer: Online Sales Interrupted
A ransomware attack in April forced M&S to pause online orders and click-and-collect services. It’s believed the hackers exploited weaknesses in third-party systems. Lesson: You’re only as secure as your suppliers. Make sure your partners meet the same high security standards you do.
European Airports: Check-In Chaos
A September attack on Collins Aerospace software disrupted passenger check-ins at major airports, including Heathrow. Lesson: Have a plan B. If your systems go down, can you still operate? Offline procedures or backup systems are essential.
Discord Data Breach
An age-verification partner used by Discord was hacked, exposing ID photos and sensitive data from around 70,000 users. Lesson: Always vet the third parties you work with, especially if they handle personal data.
How to Strengthen Your Cyber Security
Here’s where to focus your attention this month.
1. Control Access
Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts, especially admin areas. Give people the minimum access they need and review permissions regularly. Strong, unique passwords are still one of your best defences.
2. Keep Software Updated
Run updates on your operating systems, CMS, and plugins as soon as they’re released. Vulnerabilities are often exploited within days, so don’t give attackers the chance.
3. Protect Your Network
Set up a web application firewall (WAF) to block malicious traffic and attacks. Keep your internal systems separate from public ones and monitor for strange activity or large data transfers.
4. Back Up Everything
Keep regular offline backups and test them to make sure they actually work. Consider using “air-gapped” or immutable backups to protect against ransomware.
5. Review Third-Party Access
Check who has access to your systems, suppliers, developers, and other partners. Make sure they follow secure practices like MFA and encryption, and remove access that’s no longer needed.
6. Monitor and Respond Quickly
Centralise your logs and set alerts for suspicious activity such as repeated failed logins or file deletions. Use endpoint protection and have a clear incident response plan in place.
7. Train Your Team
Your staff are your first line of defence. Hold quick awareness sessions, run phishing simulations, and encourage people to report anything suspicious. Small actions can prevent major issues.
8. Encrypt Your Data
Use encryption for sensitive information, both when stored and when transmitted. Regularly rotate encryption keys and review your data protection policies.
Your Cyber Awareness Action Plan
Make Cyber Security Awareness Month count with a simple weekly checklist:
| Week | Focus | Task |
| Week 1 | Audit & Assess | Review user accounts and disable any that aren’t needed |
| Week 2 | Patch & Harden | Update all software and test firewall rules |
| Week 3 | Backup & Recovery | Run a full restore test and confirm your backups work |
| Week 4 | Train & Simulate | Run a phishing test and hold a quick refresher session |
You can also share tips across your team posters, internal emails, or even a short quiz. The goal is to make cyber awareness part of your daily routine.
What’s Changing in UK Cyber Law
The upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (CSRB) is set to raise the bar for UK businesses. It will tighten reporting requirements, enforce stronger supply-chain controls, and increase accountability for breaches. Regulators like the ICO are also taking a firmer stance on delayed or incomplete breach reporting.
Keeping up with these changes is just as important as securing your systems.
Stay Secure, Stay Smart
Cyber threats are evolving, but the basics still make the biggest difference. By focusing on strong access controls, regular updates, good backups, and staff awareness, you can prevent most attacks before they start.
At Outrank, we’re passionate about helping businesses grow safely online, from website maintenance and hosting security to SEO best practices, protecting your digital presence is part of everything we do, for more information, contact our team today.
Stay safe, stay informed, and keep your website secure this Cyber Security Awareness Month.