UK Firms Prioritize AI Threat Preparedness as Cyber Risks Evolve
UK Firms Prioritize AI Threat Preparedness as Cyber Risks Evolve
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-firms-prioritize-ai-threat/
Publish Date: 2026-06-02 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.infosecurity-magazine.com
As AI-powered cyber-attacks are a top risk for UK cybersecurity professionals, investment priorities over the next 12 to 24 months is set to focus on AI and advanced threat preparedness.
This according to new findings from ManageEngine which surveyed 1500 IT and business decision-makers across the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
The firm found that 43% of UK respondents identified AI-powered attacks as their single biggest risk over the next 12 months, ahead of traditional threats such as ransomware, phishing and data breaches.
The top spending commitment cited by 41% of UK respondents is set to focus on tackling AI and advanced threats.
ManageEngine said AI-powered attacks are the top predicted risk in Germany and Spain also, with investment priorities aligned accordingly across all five countries surveyed.
Cyber Incidents Surge as Skills Gap Widens
The research also found that more than three quarters (77%) of UK businesses have suffered a cyber incident in the past year. This was 11 points higher than the rest of the European nations surveyed.
In the UK, 46% of respondents cited a skills gap driven by rapidly evolving threats as their primary operational challenge. Over nine percentage points higher than other European nations surveyed.
VimalRaj Sampathkumar, technical head, UKI, ManageEngine, said, “UK organizations are facing one of the most challenging cyber threat environments in Europe, with attacks growing in both volume and sophistication.”
However, he noted that the findings also show businesses are responding proactively, investing in resilience, strengthening governance and prioritising preparedness for AI-driven threats.
Firms in the UK reported the highest levels of formal review processes, backup strategies and resilience framework adoption of any country surveyed, with 67.9% implementing a formal resilience methodology.
“The focus now must be on turning that investment into operational readiness through better…
