Universities must test their cyber defences before others do

High-profile ransomware attacks should prompt increased vigilance and intelligence sharing, says Henry Hughes

The ransomware attack on the British Library is the most serious and highest-profile such incident to have hit a UK research institution. It’s been reported that recovering from late October’s attack, which kept catalogues offline for nearly three months, will cost the library £9 million, or 40 per cent of its reserves. 

Many are asking whether this signals an oncoming wave of similar incidents. And, if so, what can institutions do?