Overview

• KNP Logistics permanently closed after an Akira ransomware gang exploited a single weak password in 2023, grounding its 500-truck fleet and leaving 700 people jobless.
• Former director Paul Abbott now campaigns for stronger credential policies after admitting he never informed the employee responsible for the compromised password.
• Official data show roughly 19,000 ransomware incidents targeted UK businesses last year, with major names like Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods also breached.
• Under the new proposals, public bodies would be barred from making ransom payments and private firms would face mandatory reporting of any cyberattack.
• GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency continue round-the-clock operations against ransomware but warn that staffing levels lag behind the growing volume of threats.