The cyber threat landscape for UK businesses has reached a critical turning point. A new report from our security partner, Sophos, reveals that ransomware attacks are not only becoming more frequent but are also significantly more expensive and technically aggressive than just a year ago.
As a UK-based data centre and cyber security provider, we are seeing these trends first-hand. The 2025 data confirms that for modern enterprises, “hoping for the best” is no longer a viable security strategy.
The UK’s “Encryption Gap”
The most alarming finding in this year’s report is that 70% of UK ransomware attacks resulted in data being encrypted. This is a sharp rise from 46% in 2024 and sits well above the current global average of 50%. While attackers are getting better at locking down data, they are also demanding much higher prices for the key:
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Skyrocketing demands: The median UK ransom demand has more than doubled in 12 months, rising from $2.54 million to $5.37 million.
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Aggressive payments: UK organisations are now typically paying 103% of the initial demand, significantly higher than the global average of 85%.
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The total cost of recovery: Even excluding the ransom itself, the average cost for a UK business to recover from an attack including downtime, lost opportunities, and device repairs has climbed to $2.58 million.
Root causes and human impact
Attackers are primarily exploiting technical vulnerabilities (36%), malicious emails (20%), and compromised credentials (19%). However, the report also identifies an “expertise gap,” with 42% of UK respondents citing a lack of cybersecurity skills as a primary reason for falling victim. The pressure on internal teams is unsustainable, with 43% of IT staff reporting increased workloads and 26% seeing team members take leave due to mental health stress following an attack.
Future proofing your infrastructure
To combat these evolving threats, the 2025 report recommends four key pillars of defence: click here to find out what these are. As your data centre partner, we offer a suite of cyber security solutions in collaboration with global leaders like Sophos to ensure your business remains resilient. Call us on 0161 464 6101 or email hello@datacentreplus.co.uk to see how we can assist you too.
You can download the full report here.
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