On the morning of 11 March, employees at Stryker, one of the world's largest medical device companies, watched their phones and laptops go blank.
An Iran-linked hacking group called Handala quicklyclaimedresponsibility, saying the cyber-attack was retaliation for US military strikes on Iran.
The fact that the devices of a major conglomerate with over 50,000 employees can be wiped back to factory settings demonstrates just how easily an attack like this can happen.
It also shows that cyber security must become a priority for businesses and governments alike, as threats can come from anywhere, at any time.
The Stryker cyber-attack is just one recent example. By 2031, ransomware attacks on governments, businesses, consumers, and devices will occurevery two seconds.
Worryingly, according to the former US Deputy National Security Advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, the annual average cost ofcybercrimewill cross $23 trillion in 2027.
The numbers are astounding yet many think that it is just big tech and conglomerates that are targeted by cybercriminals. They could not be more wrong.
In 2025, nearly half of businesses and three-in-ten charities in the UKreportedhaving experienced some kind of cyber security breach or attack. Financial losses can be significant, but businesses also lose customer trust because of breaches, impacting their reputation.
Governments too are targets. In August 2025 anattackon Canada's House of Commons exposed employee data and details of government devices.
Organisations must embrace cyber intelligence to protect themselves. But what exactly is cyber intelligence?
Source: International Business Times UK
