Get the basics right

A simple message, but one that was repeated with regularity when your author attended a group breakfast meeting last week with Robert Hannigan to discuss all things cyber and AI. Robert is a person worth listening to on these crucial topics. Not only has he recently published a detailed book on these themes, but he also brings with him a wealth of knowledge, having previously been the Director of GCHQ, UK’s largest intelligence and security agency.

No reader should be surprised by the sheer number of cyberattacks and breaches. This is a topic we have written on since 2014 and most recently in 2024. Robert attributed their prevalence to the fundamentally insecure infrastructure on which the Internet was built at its outset combined with the commoditisation of cybercrime as an industry. Hackers, seemingly, are available to rent to deliver ransomware attacks. Think of hacking-as-a-service as part of the new normal.

Businesses and other organisations can, of course, minimise their risk of being breached by getting the basics right. Practically, this means emphasising the importance of basic IT hygiene (staff training, installing updates and patches etc) as well as putting in place clear business continuity plans in the event of disruptions. Bad actors inevitably look for businesses that have vulnerabilities in their infrastructure or that of their supply chains, per the recent well-publicised attacks on major UK retailers.

The advent of AI can also potentially help address cyber challenges. However, think of AI as being a potential double-edged sword – it can increase the productivity/ effectiveness of both attackers and defenders. Who gets to leverage the technology most efficiently can be thought of as arms race in motion.

Be mindful though of how the rules of engagement may change. The security of AI itself will become an increasingly important topic. Watch for how cyber criminals may seek to compromise – or poison – large language models. This may be the new warfare: model contamination and subsequent ransoms charged for decontamination. Cheery stuff. If there is a solution, then it’s greater collaboration by international governments on standards and protocols. Here’s hoping…

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Originally Posted on August 6, 2025 – Get the basics right

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