Ethical Hacking News
The UK government has launched a new campaign aimed at addressing the growing number of cybersecurity incidents affecting businesses and organizations across the country. With 82 percent of businesses experiencing incidents in the past year, it's clear that a collective effort is needed to improve cybersecurity. The "Cyber Lockdown" campaign seeks to educate SMEs on basic cybersecurity controls and implementing the Cyber Essentials scheme.
The UK government has launched a new campaign called "Cyber Lockdown" to address growing cybersecurity incidents affecting businesses. 82% of businesses and 77% of charities in the UK reported experiencing some form of incident over the past year, according to the Cyber Security Longitudinal Survey. The gap between security haves and have-nots is not closing quickly, with many organizations continuing to struggle with cybersecurity. Only 30% of businesses have adopted the Cyber Essentials scheme, which focuses on practical steps such as patching software and tightening access controls. Critics argue that individual business action may not be enough to tackle persistent cybersecurity incidents, and a comprehensive approach is needed.
The United Kingdom government has launched a new campaign aimed at addressing the growing number of cybersecurity incidents affecting businesses and organizations across the country. The initiative, dubbed the "Cyber Lockdown" campaign, seeks to educate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the importance of adopting basic cybersecurity controls and implementing the Cyber Essentials scheme.
According to the government's latest Cyber Security Longitudinal Survey, a multi-year study tracking policies, behaviors, and incident impacts, 82 percent of businesses and 77 percent of charities in the UK reported experiencing some form of incident over the past year. This represents a concerning trend, as incidents remain routine and baseline protections are still patchy.
The survey also reveals that risk profiles tend to stick, with 54 percent of organizations reporting the same experience of incidents, or similar impacts, across multiple surveys. This suggests that the gap between the security haves and have-nots is not closing quickly, with many organizations continuing to struggle with cybersecurity.
To address these concerns, the government has launched a public awareness campaign aimed at encouraging businesses to adopt basic cybersecurity controls and implement the Cyber Essentials scheme. The campaign will be conducted across various channels, including social media, podcasts, radio, and business networks, in an effort to reach busy SMEs where they are most likely to be.
The scheme focuses on practical steps such as patching software and tightening access controls – measures that many attacks still rely on. To support businesses in adopting the scheme, the government will offer a range of incentives, including:
* An online readiness check to assess an organization's cybersecurity posture
* Free 30-minute chats with NCSC-assured advisors to provide guidance and support
* A preview of the certification question set so companies can see what's involved before signing up
Despite these efforts, adherence to Cyber Essentials remains stubbornly low. According to the latest survey, only 30 percent of businesses have adopted the scheme, while 28 percent of charities have done so. This means that roughly seven in ten larger organizations still fail to follow basic cybersecurity best practices.
The government's stance on this issue has been criticized by some experts, who argue that the emphasis on individual business action may not be sufficient to address the root causes of cybersecurity incidents. Others have pointed out that the lack of effective baseline protections and weak incident response measures contribute to the persistent nature of these issues.
Ministerial warnings about the risks facing businesses are also echoed in recent comments from Cybersecurity minister Baroness Lloyd, who stated that "no business is out of reach" from cybercriminals. She emphasized that SMEs play a vital role in the economy and work hard to build something valuable, but often assume that larger brands are the only targets for attackers.
However, the reality is that criminals look for easy opportunities, and without basic protections in place, any business of any size can become a target. Baroness Lloyd highlighted the importance of Cyber Essentials, saying "I know smaller firms don't have large IT teams, and that is exactly why Cyber Essentials matters."
In conclusion, the UK government's launch of the "Cyber Lockdown" campaign aims to address persistent cybersecurity issues affecting businesses across the country. With 82 percent of businesses experiencing incidents in the past year, it's clear that a collective effort is needed to improve cybersecurity.
The campaign's focus on basic controls and the Cyber Essentials scheme are steps in the right direction. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to address underlying causes of these issues.
Ultimately, the government must recognize that individual business action may not be enough to tackle the persistent nature of cybersecurity incidents. A comprehensive approach that includes better baseline protections, effective incident response measures, and stronger cooperation between businesses and authorities is necessary to ensure that all organizations are adequately prepared for the growing threat landscape.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/UK-Government-Launches-Cyber-Lockdown-Campaign-to-Address-Persistent-Cybersecurity-Issues-Amid-Rising-Incidents-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/02/17/govt_launches_cyber_lockdown_push/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/ukgov-launches-cyber-lockdown-campaign-as-80-of-orgs-still-leave-door-open/ar-AA1WvF0J
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-cyber-action-plan/government-cyber-action-plan
Published: Tue Feb 17 21:13:10 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
