Cyber Brief: Ransomware recovery and access misuse

The first full working week of the year has already highlighted familiar cyber pressure points. Ransomware recovery continues to strain organisations returning from downtime, cloud access misuse remains a key attack path and supplier exposure is again amplifying operational risk. These stories underline the importance of preparedness as normal operations resume.

Ransomware recovery challenges persist into the new year

Reporting published yesterday highlights that many organisations hit by ransomware in late December are still struggling with recovery. While initial containment was often successful, restoration timelines have extended due to incomplete backups, unclear system dependencies and limited testing of recovery plans.
In several cases, organisations prioritised business continuity over forensic readiness, resulting in lingering uncertainty around attacker persistence. Analysts note that attackers deliberately target year-end periods knowing that recovery effort will spill into January when teams are under pressure to restore services quickly.
The reporting reinforces that ransomware impact is not limited to encryption events. Data theft, partial system recovery and delayed confidence in restoration all contribute to prolonged disruption.

Why it matters
Recovery capability is as critical as prevention. Organisations should validate backups, rehearse restoration and ensure recovery plans are tested under realistic conditions.

Source
BBC News

Cloud access misuse enables low-noise compromise

Security analysis released yesterday shows continued misuse of cloud access pathways as attackers rely on legitimate credentials rather than exploiting vulnerabilities. Compromised accounts were used to access data stores, generate tokens and move laterally across connected services without triggering alerts.
In many cases, permissions granted during previous projects or incidents were never fully revoked. Attackers exploited these conditions to operate quietly, often for extended periods, before discovery. The issue was most pronounced in environments with limited access review and weak monitoring of identity behaviour.
The findings reinforce that cloud security failures are increasingly rooted in governance rather than technology.

Why it matters
Cloud access misuse is difficult to detect. Regular access reviews, least-privilege enforcement and identity monitoring are essential controls.

Source
Microsoft Security

Supplier exposure amplifies operational disruption

UK-focused reporting yesterday highlights renewed disruption linked to third-party providers. Organisations experienced delays and service degradation not because of direct compromise, but due to outages or failures within supplier environments.
Post-incident analysis showed that many organisations lacked clear visibility of supplier dependencies or relied on assurances that had not been recently validated. Communication delays and unclear escalation routes extended recovery timelines.
These incidents reinforce that supplier exposure is both a security and resilience issue.

Why it matters
Supplier risk directly affects continuity. Organisations should map dependencies, validate resilience and ensure escalation routes are tested.

Source
Computer Weekly

Today’s Key Actions

1. Validate backup integrity and recovery procedures.
2. Review cloud access permissions and revoke unnecessary privileges.
3. Map critical supplier dependencies and escalation routes.
4. Test recovery and continuity plans.
5. Update risk registers to reflect ransomware and supplier exposure.

Secarma Insight

Yesterday’s reporting shows that cyber impact often extends well beyond initial compromise. Strong recovery planning, disciplined access governance and realistic supplier assurance are essential to maintaining resilience as organisations return to full operational pace.

Get in touch with us to prioritise your next steps and strengthen your security posture.