The real business fallout from a cyberattack
When most businesses think about cyberattacks, the immediate concern is usually data theft.
Stolen customer information or sensitive internal documents often dominate headlines. Yet, for many UK mid-market businesses, the reality is far harsher. The operational chaos and business disruption that follows a cyberattack often causes more damage than the stolen data itself.
Operations grind to a halt
Imagine your warehouse management system suddenly going dark. Orders stack up, stock can't move and your staff stand idle. Customers start calling, frustrated and confused. This isn't just an inconvenience, it's a full operational shutdown.
Cyberattacks can quickly freeze your core operations. Systems designed to streamline efficiency become your Achilles’ heel when they're inaccessible. And the longer your systems stay down, the deeper the damage.
Customers lose confidence
Missed deadlines, delayed orders and disrupted services quickly erode customer trust. In competitive B2B markets, reliability is everything. A single significant outage due to a cyber breach can push your customers to consider competitors, potentially damaging your reputation long after systems are restored.
Rebuilding trust after a cyberattack isn't quick or easy. Customers who lose faith may never return, amplifying the long-term damage to your brand.
It gets expensive, fast
Cyberattacks aren't just disruptive; they're expensive. According to The 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey data, 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach last year - that's over 600,000 companies facing significant financial impact.
The costs quickly pile up:
- Downtime: Every hour offline costs your business revenue, labour and productivity.
- Ransom payments: If ransomware locks critical systems, many businesses feel forced into paying substantial sums.
- Regulatory fines: Breaches involving sensitive data often incur hefty GDPR fines.
- Insurance implications: A cyberattack could jeopardise your cyber insurance coverage if you’re found non-compliant or underprepared.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) skyrockets when businesses must urgently patch systems, hire specialist consultants, or rebuild infrastructure after an attack. Cloud ERP models like Orderwise Cloud significantly reduce these hidden and unexpected costs by embedding high-level security and disaster recovery capabilities.
And it could already be happening around you
Many breaches never make headlines. Companies often quietly handle cyberattacks to avoid reputational damage or alerting competitors. Just because you're not hearing about attacks doesn't mean they're not happening nearby. This lack of visibility creates a dangerous illusion of safety.
Prepare for disruption, not just defence
Protection is vital, but equally important is readiness for disruption. Ask yourself:
- Do you have recent and reliable backups?
- Can your business operate, even minimally without your main IT systems?
- Have you clearly defined who's responsible during a cyber emergency?
Businesses that recover quickest from cyberattacks are those who planned for disruption, not just defence.
If your systems went down today…
Think about it now. Could your business withstand 24 hours offline? How about a week?
Who would take charge, and what would their first action be?
Don't wait for disruption to find out how prepared you are. Take action today to strengthen your resilience. Better yet, check out these five simple steps your business can take immediately to improve your cyber resilience.