Intersys-hosted high-level roundtable explored cyber resilience following wave of UK cyber attacks
London, 21 May, 2025:
Experts from the banking, insurance, and law enforcement sectors have called for urgent, organisation-wide cyber security training to bolster resilience across the UK’s financial system. The call follows a wave of recent high-profile cyber attacks — including those affecting major UK retailers which included the theft of customer data — which have once again highlighted the urgency of enhancing cyber defences across all sectors, and breaking down the culture of blaming victims.
Hosted in person at Intersys’ Leadenhall Market office in the City of London, the exclusive roundtable event — Navigating Cyber Security and Operational Resilience in the Finance and Insurance Sector - welcomed 12 senior representatives from organisations including Metro Bank, Chubb, Aon, and Clear Group, alongside Inspector Charlie Morrison, Head of the Cyber Griffin Programme at the City of London Police.
According to the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025, phishing attacks remain the most prevalent and disruptive form of cyber breach or attack, experienced by 85% of UK businesses and 86% of charities. Despite the scale of the threat, only 30% of UK businesses currently offer cyber security training to staff.
Moreover, among the 3% of businesses that fell victim to cyber-facilitated fraud in the past 12 months, 54% of incidents stemmed from phishing, followed by online bank account hacks (28%) and organisational account takeovers (15%).
Inspector Charlie Morrison, Head of the Cyber Griffin programme at the City of London Police, said:
“Throughout the Square Mile, organisations are often well-prepared to manage the technical impacts of a cyber incident, but less equipped to support the individuals affected. The person who clicks on a malicious link or opens a malicious attachment can often go through a psychological journey similar to a victim of conventional crime, experiencing anxiety, insecurity, and a fear of returning to work. The City of London community has an opportunity here to integrate victim care into our response, and in so doing, limit the significant harm that cyber criminality can have.”
Mark Kirby, Professional Services Director at Intersys, said:
“Demand for this roundtable significantly exceeded capacity, underlining just how concerned and engaged the financial services sector is when it comes to the cyber threat landscape. The latest breaches show that you can have the best technical defences, but one click on a phishing link can still compromise your entire operation. That’s why we need to move beyond just tools and firewalls. User education is the most powerful frontline defence. And at the same time, this isn’t about blaming the victim, it’s about making sure they’re supported and informed. The attacker only has to succeed once, which is why ongoing, organisation-wide cyber training is essential. And we need to go further too — including implementing dark web monitoring and reporting tools, so organisations have a full view of where and how they may be exposed.”
Jake Ives, Head of Security at Intersys, said:
“A major theme from this event was culture; cyber resilience has to become part of a company’s DNA. The key takeaway was clear: organisations must foster environments where people feel confident and supported to report suspicious activity. Too often, fear of blame or embarrassment leads to silence, which gives attackers the advantage. We need to normalise early reporting — to treat clicking a phishing link not as failure, but as an opportunity to respond quickly and learn. Building a security-aware culture also means limiting unnecessary privileges, like removing local admin rights, and adopting technologies like Zero Trust Application Whitelisting. But all of that only works if people are engaged, educated, and empowered to act.”
Notes to Editors
About Intersys
Intersys is a leading global provider of cyber risk management solutions, dedicated to helping organisations of all sizes assess, manage, and mitigate cyber risk. With a team of experienced cyber risk experts and a comprehensive suite of cyber security services, Intersys empowers clients to protect their critical assets and maintain business continuity in the face of evolving cyber threats.
For further details on Intersys and future roundtable events, visit: https://intersys.co.uk/events/
For further details about our Domain Reputation Checker, visit: https://intersys.co.uk/cyber-security-services-support/domain-reputation-checker-tool/
For further information about our Free Dark Web Report, visit: https://intersys.co.uk/free-report-find-out-if-hackers-are-selling-your-business-data-on-the-dark-web/dark web report
Media Enquiries
Helen Wright
Lysander PR
[email protected]
+44 7842 729 579
Michelle Worvell
Lysander PR
[email protected]
+44 7810 531 035