UK Organizations Face Higher Cyber-Physical System Attacks, Report Finds
A recent study by Claroty reveals that 65% of UK organizations managing cyber-physical systems (CPS) experienced operational disruptions due to cyberattacks in the past year significantly above the global average of 58% and the EMEA figure of 56%. The survey, which included 2,000 business and technology leaders (200 from the UK), highlights that UK firms face greater financial, operational, and reputational fallout from such incidents.
Nearly half (49%) of affected UK organizations reported operational downtime as a result of their most severe attack, compared to 43% globally. Financial losses were cited by 42% of UK respondents seven percentage points higher than the global average while 38% suffered reputational damage, the highest rate among surveyed markets. Regulatory scrutiny also intensified, with 36% of UK firms facing increased oversight post-incident, versus 30% worldwide.
Key Threats and Vulnerabilities
UK leaders identified IT-to-operational technology (OT) spillover as the top threat, with 44% flagging it as a concern, compared to 37% globally. Ransomware remained a major risk (35% in the UK vs. 27% globally), while 36% expressed heightened worry about AI-powered attacks. Third-party access emerged as another critical weak point, with 75% of global respondents reporting incidents linked to external vendors and nearly half lacking full monitoring of these connections.
Governance and Compliance Challenges
The report found that UK CIOs are increasingly accountable for operational security, with 48% holding ultimate responsibility (vs. 39% globally) and 36% controlling related budgets (vs. 28% globally). However, only 14% of UK organizations have fully integrated IT and OT security governance, revealing a disconnect between leadership accountability and operational alignment. Confidence in recovery plans was also low, with just 19% expressing strong trust in their business continuity measures despite frequent disruptions.
Legacy systems pose a significant barrier to compliance, cited by 31% of UK respondents as their biggest obstacle above the global average of 26%. Nearly half (47%) struggled to keep pace with evolving regulations, while 32% identified regulatory demands as a key driver for security investments, compared to 26% globally.
AI Adoption and Risks
AI is already widely deployed in UK operational environments, with 74% of organizations using it and investing in AI-based security tools. While 56% reported improved efficiency (vs. 48% globally), 41% acknowledged new cybersecurity, compliance, or operational risks tied to AI adoption.
Claroty’s Field CTO, Nick Haan, noted that UK organizations face sharper business impacts from CPS attacks, including revenue loss, reputational harm, and regulatory pressure. He emphasized the need for boards to prioritize operational resilience, citing persistent challenges like unpatched legacy systems and fragmented IT-OT governance.
Source: https://itbrief.co.uk/story/uk-organisations-hit-harder-by-cyberattacks-on-operations
Claroty TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/claroty
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"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "10/2026",
"severity": "60",
"impact": "2",
"explanation": "Attack limited on finance or reputation"{'affected_entities': [{'location': 'United Kingdom',
'type': 'UK organizations managing cyber-physical '
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'attack_vector': ['IT-to-OT spillover',
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'description': 'A recent study by Claroty reveals that 65% of UK '
'organizations managing cyber-physical systems (CPS) '
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'the past year, significantly above the global average. The '
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'financial_loss': '42% of UK respondents reported financial losses '
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'revenue_loss': 'Reported as part of financial and reputational '
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'systems_affected': ['operational technology (OT)',
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'lessons_learned': 'UK organizations face sharper business impacts from CPS '
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'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Enhance third-party '
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'references': [{'source': 'Claroty Report'}],
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'title': 'UK Organizations Face Higher Cyber-Physical System Attacks',
'type': ['cyber-physical system attack',
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'vulnerability_exploited': ['unpatched legacy systems',
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