On Thursday evening, Fitzrovia IT hosted Cybersecurity Leadership: Lessons from the Frontline at Huckletree, Oxford Circus. The event brought together leaders, IT professionals and business owners from across London for an evening of insight, networking and reflection on one of the most urgent issues facing organisations today.
The evening opened with a keynote talk from Paul Abbott, followed by a Q&A session led by our Chief Information Security Officer, George Coumas. Afterward, attendees visited our expert booths, where they could speak directly with George about security, Callum Siciliano, our Cybersecurity Assessor, about compliance and frameworks, Anuj Mehta, our Chief Technical Officer, about data and AI security, and Nick Rodgerson, Head of Azure, about Microsoft cloud.
While guests rotated between booths, conversations flowed between CISOs, IT managers, and directors from a range of London firms. It was an evening that blended learning and connection.
Paul Abbott’s story was a reminder of just how fragile even the most established businesses can be in the face of a cyberattack. His 158-year-old logistics company, KNP, was brought down by a single weak password.
One employee reused a simple password. That was all it took for Akira, a ransomware gang, to infiltrate their systems. Once inside, they encrypted every file, crippled operations, and demanded millions. KNP refused to pay, and within days, the company’s data was gone.
The consequences were devastating. KNP collapsed in days, leaving 730 employees jobless. Supply chains froze, customer relationships disintegrated, and a business with more than a century of legacy was erased. The hackers walked away empty-handed, but the damage had already been done.
Paul’s message was simple and haunting: every director, every manager, and every employee has a role to play in keeping their organisation safe.
After sharing his story, Paul spoke about what businesses can learn from incidents like his. The fall of KNP, he explained, was about a culture that underestimated risk. The systems had been strong on paper, but assumptions, complacency, and a lack of awareness left the company exposed.
He reflected on the everyday realities of cybersecurity today: how ransomware groups operate like professional businesses, how they target organisations of every size, and how the smallest oversight can open the door. His message was that cybersecurity needs to be treated as an ongoing process, not a one-off investment.
Businesses must first understand and identify their risks. Knowing which systems, assets, and data are most critical allows leaders to protect what truly matters. Regular reviews are vital, not only of technology but also of policy, training, and access controls.
He spoke about the importance of testing and using simulated attacks and penetration assessments to expose weaknesses before attackers do. Visibility was another theme: without active monitoring, many breaches go unnoticed for weeks.
Finally, he urged every organisation to prepare for the worst. Having a recovery plan, tested and understood by all key staff, can make the difference between a short disruption and total collapse.
As Richard Horne, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre, recently warned, “companies need to step up and improve their cybersecurity.” The NCSC has reported that UK businesses are facing record numbers of cyber incidents, with ransomware continuing to dominate. Early projections suggest that 2025 could be the most dangerous year yet for digital attacks against UK organisations.
The Government’s latest ministerial letter echoed the same concern: cybercrime is now one of the biggest threats to national economic stability. Around one in three UK businesses experienced a breach or attack last year, yet fewer than half have a formal incident response plan.
The message from Thursday’s event was clear: no business is immune, regardless of size or sector. The ransomware threat is real and growing, and leadership teams must prioritise resilience as much as they do profit.
1. Know your risks. Map your critical assets, systems, and vulnerabilities. Understand what you need to protect and where your weak points lie.
2. Test your defences. Commission regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments. Waiting until after a breach is too late.
3. Review your strategy. Revisit your cybersecurity roadmap every quarter. Ensure it evolves with your business and the threat landscape.
4. Enhance visibility. Invest in a Security Operations Centre (SOC) and 24/7 monitoring to detect and respond to incidents in real time.
5. Plan for the worst. Have a recovery plan ready. Know who to call, what to isolate, and how to communicate. Preparation limits damage.
The story of KNP reminded everyone that one weak password can undo generations of hard work. The conversations that followed reinforced the idea that cybersecurity isn’t about fear; it’s about control, awareness, and culture.
At Fitzrovia IT, we help businesses take that control. From compliance and penetration testing to SOC monitoring, strategy reviews, and recovery planning, our experts can assess your current position and strengthen your defences for what’s ahead.
The world of cyber threats is changing fast. The time to act is now.
Get in touch with Fitzrovia IT today to secure your business for the future.