Cyber-Attacks on UK Firms Increase at Four Times Global Rate

Check Point’s February 2026 Global Threat Intelligence report found weekly attack volumes averaging 2,086 per organization globally and 1,504 in the UK (a 36% YoY increase), highlighted ransomware activity from 49 distinct groups (notably Qilin, Clop and The Gentlemen) and flagged unmanaged generative AI use as a growing source of data-exposure risk (one in 31 prompts posed a high exposure risk, affecting 88% of regular GenAI users). The report calls out most-targeted UK sectors (education, energy & utilities, government, healthcare, financial services) and warns that prevention-first, real-time protections are required to mitigate ongoing attacker pressure and GenAI-related leaks.