UK firms see phishing surge, ransomware drop, survey shows

The latest UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/26 found that 38% of businesses and 25% of charities experienced phishing attacks, making phishing the most common and most disruptive type of cyber breach, with 69% of businesses citing it as highly disruptive. Overall, 43% of businesses and 28% of charities reported a cyber breach or attack in the past year, and among those breached, 29% said attacks occurred at least weekly. Ransomware incidents declined among businesses but rose among charities, and the proportion of breached firms reporting revenue or share‑value loss increased from 2% to 5%.

The survey also highlighted growing use of artificial intelligence, with 31% of organisations adopting or considering AI, yet only 24% have security measures to manage AI‑related risks. Experts noted that generative AI and Phishing‑as‑a‑Service kits are lowering barriers for attackers, enabling more sophisticated and scalable phishing campaigns.