This latest incident according to the Financial Times is one of the biggest cyber security breaches in the UK in recent years, and it is hot on the heels of various other major cyber attacks on well-known UK businesses such as M&S, Jaguar Land Rover and the Co-op, in addition to a widely publicised attack on an unnamed UK gas plant, which was widely attributed to an Iranian source in the media.

"The swift action taken by Manchester Airports Group to contain the incident and protect its customers is a positive example of how quickly organisations can respond when cyber threats emerge. Crucially, passenger safety and aviation security were not compromised and airport operations continued as normal. However, the incident still highlights how broad the cyber risk landscape can be for organisations handling significant volumes of customer data," says Tim Williams.

He continues, "While the systems targeted were car parking, lounge bookings and Wifi sign-ups, they were not responsible for flight operations, they formed part of the wider digital environment through which customers interact within the airport. This reinforces the importance of having clear visibility across the entire technology ecosystem, including the systems, applications and external services that sit around core operations."

Williams adds that Quod Orbis has carried its own research out on the subject, which revealed that 89% of security professionals believe their board understands security metrics and the organisation’s security posture. "But," he says, "maintaining that visibility is critical, particularly as organisations become increasingly dependent on interconnected technology and third-party services. Security teams need to be able to identify where vulnerabilities exist beyond their immediate environment and give the C-suite a clear picture of the risks those connections create, in real-time."

Rapid response is good, but a wider view is key

"The incident demonstrates why organisations need to take a holistic view of cyber risk. Rapid response can contain an incident, but having visibility across the wider technology and third-party ecosystem can help organisations identify potential weaknesses earlier, understand their exposure and strengthen their defences before an incident occurs," concludes Williams.