UK Charities Hit Hardest by Ransomware Attacks in 2025, Hiscox Report Finds
A recent analysis by insurer Hiscox Group reveals that UK charities faced an average of eight ransomware attacks in 2025 more than any other small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. The study, based on surveys of over 5,700 organizations globally (including a fifth from the UK), highlights the growing cyber threat to nonprofits, with energy firms (seven attacks), travel and leisure (six), and financial services (just under six) trailing behind.
The most common entry points for attacks on charities were networked IoT devices (excluding phones and tablets), cited in nearly a third of cases. Supply chain compromises such as vulnerable websites or software accounted for another third, while business email compromise and webserver vulnerabilities were also frequent vectors.
Larger SMEs (50–249 employees) experienced an average of seven attacks, while smaller organizations (fewer than 10 employees) faced four. Hiscox’s head of cybersecurity, Alana Muir, noted that expanding digital services without updating cyber controls increases exposure, with ransomware remaining the most persistent threat.
The financial and operational fallout was severe: 80% of targeted organizations paid a ransom, and 30% of those were hit with additional demands. A third of victims incurred fines, while 30% reported business disruptions and reputational damage, making it harder to attract new clients. Muir warned that ransomware incidents often escalate into broader business continuity crises, compounded by the rising role of AI in cyber threats.
The findings align with earlier concerns from BDO’s charity fraud report, where over half of nonprofits expressed fears of increasing cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, phishing, and AI-driven risks. The data underscores the disproportionate targeting of charities, despite their often limited cybersecurity resources.
Source: https://www.charitytimes.com/ct/Charities-hit-by-more-ransomware-attacks-than-any-other-SME.php
Hiscox Group TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/hiscox
UK Charities TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/watan-charity-uk
"id": "hiswat1777373180",
"linkid": "hiscox, watan-charity-uk",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "7/2025",
"severity": "",
"impact": "",
"explanation": "N/A (Not a victim, but analyzer of the incident)"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Nonprofit',
'location': 'UK',
'size': 'SME (50–249 employees or fewer than 10 '
'employees)',
'type': 'Charity'},
{'industry': 'Energy',
'location': 'UK',
'size': 'SME (50–249 employees)',
'type': 'SME'},
{'industry': 'Travel and Leisure',
'location': 'UK',
'size': 'SME',
'type': 'SME'},
{'industry': 'Financial Services',
'location': 'UK',
'size': 'SME',
'type': 'SME'}],
'attack_vector': ['Networked IoT devices (excluding phones and tablets)',
'Supply chain compromises (vulnerable websites or software)',
'Business email compromise',
'Webserver vulnerabilities'],
'date_detected': '2025',
'description': 'A recent analysis by insurer Hiscox Group reveals that UK '
'charities faced an average of eight ransomware attacks in '
'2025, more than any other small or medium-sized enterprise '
'(SME) sector. The study highlights the growing cyber threat '
'to nonprofits, with energy firms, travel and leisure, and '
'financial services also heavily targeted. The most common '
'entry points were networked IoT devices, supply chain '
'compromises, business email compromise, and webserver '
'vulnerabilities. The financial and operational fallout was '
'severe, with 80% of targeted organizations paying a ransom '
'and many facing additional demands, fines, business '
'disruptions, and reputational damage.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Reputational damage, harder to attract '
'new clients',
'operational_impact': 'Business disruptions'},
'lessons_learned': 'Expanding digital services without updating cyber '
'controls increases exposure. Ransomware incidents often '
'escalate into broader business continuity crises, '
'compounded by the rising role of AI in cyber threats.',
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': 'Expanding digital services without '
'updating cyber controls, '
'persistent ransomware threats, and '
'AI-driven risks'},
'ransomware': {'ransom_paid': '80% of targeted organizations paid a ransom'},
'references': [{'source': 'Hiscox Group Report'},
{'source': 'BDO’s charity fraud report'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'fines_imposed': '30% of victims incurred fines'},
'title': 'UK Charities Hit Hardest by Ransomware Attacks in 2025, Hiscox '
'Report Finds',
'type': 'Ransomware'}