This week in IT: cyber resilience, compliance and ransomware risk

Cyber security is no longer just about firewalls, passwords and antivirus software. This week’s IT news shows a clear shift: cyber resilience is becoming a business management issue.

For UK SMEs, that matters. Many smaller businesses are under pressure from rising costs, supplier demands, insurance requirements and customer expectations. At the same time, cyber threats are becoming more disruptive, more automated and more closely linked to supply chains.

Here are the main stories UK SMEs should know about this week.

1. UK government pushes Cyber Resilience Pledge

The UK government is encouraging organisations to take a new Cyber Resilience Pledge, designed to improve protection against cyber attacks. The pledge asks organisations to make cyber a board-level responsibility, use the NCSC’s Early Warning service and require Cyber Essentials across supply chains. It was published on 22 April 2026 and is due to be formally launched in the summer.

Although the pledge is mainly aimed at medium and large organisations, the government says firms of all sizes are encouraged to take part. That is important for SMEs because larger customers may increasingly expect suppliers to demonstrate basic cyber controls, especially where personal data, financial data or critical services are involved.

Why SMEs should care: Cyber Essentials, supplier checks and board-level accountability are moving closer to normal business practice. SMEs that can show they take cyber seriously may be better placed when bidding for work, renewing contracts or answering customer security questionnaires.

Practical step: Review whether your business has Cyber Essentials, MFA, device patching, backup checks and supplier controls in place.

How Comtek can help: Comtek can support SMEs with practical cyber security reviews, Microsoft 365 security checks, endpoint protection, backup, monitoring and sensible next steps towards Cyber Essentials readiness.

2. SMEs are worried about costs, but cyber risk is still rising

A new CyberSmart MSP Survey 2026, reported by ITPro, found that 46% of MSP customers are now more concerned about inflation and rising costs than security risks. At the same time, MSPs identified AI-driven threats as their top security challenge, with 49% ranking AI as their number one concern.

The same report said 61% of customers now expect MSPs to help with compliance requirements, showing that cyber support is increasingly about accountability, risk management and ongoing assurance rather than just installing tools.

Why SMEs should care: Cost pressure is real, but delaying security work can create bigger costs later. A ransomware incident, data breach or long outage can quickly become more expensive than preventative maintenance.

Practical step: Focus on high-impact basics first: MFA, patching, backups, email protection, admin account controls and staff awareness.

How Comtek can help: Comtek can help prioritise security improvements so SMEs spend money where it reduces the most risk, rather than buying unnecessary tools.

3. Industrial and operational systems are being targeted

NCC Group research, reported by ITPro, found that industrial organisations experienced 2,073 ransomware attacks in the 12 months to March 2026, accounting for 30% of all ransomware activity. The most affected areas included machinery, construction and engineering.

This matters for manufacturers, engineering firms, warehouses, utilities suppliers and any SME that depends on connected equipment, production systems or site infrastructure. The risk is not just stolen data. Disrupted operational technology can stop production, delay orders and create safety issues.

Why SMEs should care: Many businesses protect office IT but forget about factory systems, CCTV, access control, phone systems, legacy machines, Wi-Fi networks and supplier-managed devices.

Practical step: Identify critical systems, check who manages them, confirm they are patched where possible and make sure backups and recovery plans include operational systems, not just laptops and servers.

How Comtek can help: Comtek can help map business-critical systems, review network segmentation, improve backup coverage and make sure operational risks are included in IT planning.

4. Microsoft and AI security remain in focus

Microsoft has reportedly unveiled MDASH, an AI agent-driven security platform designed to find software vulnerabilities, with early reporting saying it has already identified previously unknown Windows flaws.

Separately, Microsoft’s May Patch Tuesday updates have been reported as addressing a large number of Windows security flaws, including critical issues.

Why SMEs should care: AI is being used by defenders and attackers. That makes regular patching, device management and security monitoring even more important.

Practical step: Make sure Windows updates, Microsoft 365 security settings and endpoint protection are being actively managed rather than left to chance.

How Comtek can help: Comtek can review patching, endpoint protection, Microsoft 365 security baselines and admin controls across your business.