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British businesses are showing greater skill in detecting and avoiding online scams, but major weaknesses in cyber resilience still persist, according to a new report.
Temi Odurinde, of Temi UK — an ICT specialist supporting sole traders and small firms — says that recognition of phishing attempts and other online threats has improved noticeably in recent years. However, he warns that without sustained training and further investment in cyber security, many organisations remain at risk.
Mr Odurinde, who advises clients on information security and a range of ICT solutions, has published a detailed analysis on his website outlining practical steps smaller enterprises can take to protect themselves. The article, Cost of Data Breach Report 2025, draws heavily on the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025, supported by insights from the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025.
“Cyber criminals are constantly evolving their tactics,” he said. “A scam email today may be highly personalised, grammatically perfect, and appear to come from a trusted source. This makes it harder for even tech-savvy users to spot without proper training.”
The report also notes that many small businesses still underestimate the financial and reputational impact of a successful cyber attack. Industry data shows that the average cost of a data breach in the UK is now estimated at over £1 million for larger firms, with smaller businesses facing losses that can threaten their survival.
Mr Odurinde warns that complacency is the enemy of cyber safety. “The fact that more businesses are spotting scams is encouraging, but this shouldn’t lead to overconfidence. Cyber resilience is not a one-off project, it’s an ongoing process that requires regular training, system updates, and a culture of security awareness.”
The report provides actionable guidance, from implementing multi-factor authentication and secure password practices to running phishing simulation exercises. It also stresses the importance of creating an incident response plan so that, if an attack does occur, businesses can react quickly and limit the damage.
Mr Odurinde hopes his latest work will help more UK businesses stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. “I want small businesses to understand that cyber security isn’t just an IT issue, it’s a business survival issue,” he added.
The full report is available at: Cost of Data Breach Report 2025