When a cyberattack happens we tend to focus on the target business; M&S, CoOP, British Airways and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR).  

But what happened to JLR recently when they were hit by a cyberattack illustrates how damaging an attack can be.

You see, following the cyberattack on 1st September, on their operation in the UK, they were forced to shut down operations, world wide. Leaving thousands of suppliers unpaid, and even more wondering when production will begin again.

These are small businesses, just like yours that can't afford to 'put on hold' all their operations. Simply waiting for JLR to come back online.

Since the attack. JLR is thought to have lost at least £50m so far as a result of the stoppage. But the serious damage to its network of suppliers, has yet to be calculated. Some will survive, and others will go bust.  It's simply a matter of when.

The situation has already reached a point where the UK government is facing calls for a furlough scheme to be set up, to prevent widespread job losses at JLR. But that won't save the supply chain.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YOU?
In the first instance, this is about you taking time to ensure that YOU are protected. You need to follow basic Security hygiene tasks, such as backing up data, enabling encryption, setting up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and installing malware protection.  These are the MINIMUM steps you need to take.

But here's something you won't get from many Security Consultants... We would advise you to review your customer list and ask the question; "If that customer was not there tomorrow, how damaging would that be to us?"

This goes to the heart of Risk Management, and we advise our clients not just on the practical security steps they need to take, but also on the measures that will protect them most - and sometimes that includes reviewing balance sheets and seeing where the real risks are.

If you answer the above question and find that more than 50% of your income is coming from one client - then you need to change that situation quickly. Of course that's easier said than done, but don't wait until it's too late.

Remember that before the Enron scandal in 2001, the phrase "too big to fail" was often used to describe organisations that couldn't possibly go out of business.  Well, that wasn't true then, and it's most certainly not true today.

CONCLUSION
Consultants Like Us wish JLR well, and we know they're doing their best to get back online.  If you're affected by the JLR incident, please get in touch and let us see how we can help you.