- Published on
UK manufacturers face rising hacking risk as survey shows 30% were hit last year
- Authors
- Name
- DeepHorus
Nearly a third of British manufacturers have been hit by a cyber-attack, either directly or through their supply chain, according to a new survey that underscores the growing hacking threat to industry. The report by MakeUK, a lobby group for manufacturers, found that 30% of companies experienced a cyber-incident in the past 12 months, often resulting in lost production time and higher costs. Only half of those surveyed, however, had a plan in place to respond to an attack. The findings come almost a year after UK carmaker JLR was forced to halt production for weeks following a digital intrusion on the last day of August 2024.
The survey of 123 manufacturers revealed that among those affected by supply-chain attacks, about 30% suffered delays in deliveries to customers or output cuts, and nearly a quarter reported supplier delivery delays or shortages of components and materials. The scale of the threat was highlighted by the JLR incident, which the independent Cyber Monitoring Centre estimated cost the UK economy at least £1.9bn, likely making it the most expensive cyber incident in British history. The New York Times reported in June that British law enforcement concluded Russian hackers were behind the attack.
The risk has escalated in recent years as hackers, often backed by hostile states, have become more numerous and adept at penetrating company defences. Large businesses describe being under near-constant attack, and the UK government says cybercrime costs the economy £14.7bn a year. The rise of generative AI systems, some capable of hacking autonomously, has added urgency to efforts to upgrade security. Manufacturers have improved productivity by connecting factories for real-time insights, but this connectivity also means attackers can cause far greater harm once inside.
The JLR breach forced the company to shut down systems across factories, offices, and retail operations. Other major publicly reported attacks include FTSE 100 firms IMI and Smiths Group, both struck early in 2025, as well as retailers Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Harrods. Jonathon Ellison, director of national resilience at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, said: “In today’s landscape, no manufacturer can afford to treat cybersecurity as anything other than a business-critical priority.” The NCSC, which helped respond to the JLR attack, is working with organisations to strengthen defences.
Experts say the trend points to a pressing need for manufacturers to invest in resilience and response planning, not just prevention. As supply chains become more interconnected and AI-powered threats evolve, the cost of inaction is likely to grow. The MakeUK report serves as a warning that the sector must move cybersecurity from an IT issue to a board-level imperative, or risk further costly disruptions.
