Ransomware attacks are a ‘clear and present danger’ for UK AEC firms, according to new benchmark survey from Egnyte

Eighty-seven percent of UK AEC companies are concerned about ransomware attacks; 71 percent admit their plans for recovery are weak or could be better

READING, UK., May 19, 2022

Egnyte, the leader in cloud content security and governance, today released the findings of a benchmarking survey of UK Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) professionals to evaluate how the industry is responding to the threat of ransomware attacks. The survey reveals that despite 87 percent of respondents having strong concerns about ransomware attacks, 71 percent describe their firm’s recovery strategy as being ‘weak’, ‘could be better,’ or admit to having ‘no plan.’

The benchmark survey, completed in partnership with Digital Construction Week and Building Magazine, reveals the scale of the threat confronting the UK AEC industry today. Almost half (44 percent) of firms had experienced a ransomware attack in the past 24 months. Of these, 25 percent had experienced between two to four attacks and 5 percent had endured five attacks or more, with 28 percent of firms taking over a week to recover.

“AEC firms in the UK are becoming a top target for threat actors and will need to protect their sensitive data by managing access permissions, recognising ransomware early, and remediating fast in the face of a breach,” said Ronen Vengosh, VP of AEC at Egnyte. “Ransomware attacks can bring commercial operations to a standstill, jeopardising projects and tarnishing brand reputations in the process.”

In addition, the shared information environments AEC firms need to maintain to assure real-time collaboration with external contractors and employees based at job sites are major contributors to the security and governance challenges that companies face. Over a third (39 percent) of UK firms confirm they are finding it difficult to securely share and govern files, while only 27 percent are highly confident that the right people have the right access to files at all times.

“To protect their business, UK firms need to enable truly holistic defence programmes – featuring a combination of prevention strategies, content governance, and end-user education – to ensure they stay one step ahead of potential threats like ransomware attacks,” added Vengosh.

Further findings, together with tips on how AEC organisations can protect themselves from ransomware, are available here.