and electoral voting cards. This information, if it falls into the wrong hands, creates a significant risk. Transaction print houses are likely to see an increase in phishing attacks as bad actors become heightened to the fact they hold a repository of highly sensitive and lucrative data.” With all this in mind, it is important to know how to best prepare or defend your business from cyber attacks and threats. So, what do the experts recommend? Protecting Your Business When it comes to protecting your print or signage business, Gaggini recommends implementing multi-factor authentication across all the company accounts and systems. Gaggini adds: “It’s also vital to maintain a robust and regularly tested backup routine that stores data in an offline or immutable format to protect against ransomware. “Regular staff training is also an important part of cybersecurity; staff need to be able to identify increasingly realistic phishing attempts and social engineering tactics. Finally, we suggest moving towards a zero-trust architecture where every access request is verified, regardless of whether it originates from inside or outside the company network.” When asked if printers or sign-makers are more vulnerable than other industries, Gaggini points to the complex mix of legacy hardware and connected devices, meaning that it may be harder to patch or protect with standard antivirus tools. “Additionally, the industry is highly collaborative and involves frequently sharing large files with external clients and vendors which creates multiple entry points for malware. The combination of high value design data and operational technology makes the sector vulnerable to cyber criminals looking to cause maximum disruption.” For Maloney, it is largely the “end point” of a network that makes any business vulnerable, regardless of the industry it is in. “By its very nature, a digital printing press would be connected to a network and could therefore be considered an ‘end point’. However, this is no different to a server or laptop which likewise are also connected to company networks.” Maloney’s advice to businesses is to deal with reputable resellers of cybersecurity products and to understand that there is never a “one size fits all” solution. “Whoever is advising on cyber threats and security should adopt a consultative approach to fully understand a user’s business and the threats that lie therein,” Maloney adds. Another specialist in this field is Howden UK, an insurance group that deals in specialist insurance, and risk advice, including cyber risks and data protection. Paul Birbilas, cyber development executive at Howden UK, develops and manages the cyber insurance strategy across the company’s corporate and commercial division. “Day to day, I deliver both internal and client facing cyber training sessions, help structure cyber insurance programmes, and support placements with leading markets on our UK cyber panel,” says Birbilas, who adds: “I use a range of pre bind risk tools to help clients strengthen their IT security posture and better understand their risk exposures before going to market. I also run cyber workshops for industry associations, where I outline sector specific threat trends and share real claim examples to raise awareness.” When it comes to the effect of a cyber-attack Birbilas emphasises that office-based businesses can sometimes keep going manually, whereas an infected computer controlling or supporting production can bring operations to a standstill. When it comes to his advice, Birbilas says: “A solid baseline includes multi factor authentication, endpoint protection on devices, strong email security, quick patching, and reliable and tested backups. It’s also important to keep production systems separate from office networks and limit any outside access so only what’s essential is allowed. Regular staff training is just as critical because many attacks still begin with someone clicking something they shouldn’t. Even with strong prevention in place, no business can block every threat, so having cyber insurance ensures you still have expert support and financial protection if something does go wrong.” Commenting on how seriously businesses should take these threats, Birbilas says that cyber threats are now “one of the biggest risks to businesses” largely due to them becoming faster and more disruptive. “We’re seeing criminals target organisations of every size, and even small incidents can halt operations, damage customer trust, and lead to costly recovery work. For most companies, the question is no longer if they’ll face an attack but when, which is why taking cyber resilience seriously needs to be at the top of every organisation’s risk register.” The Bigger Picture So how is cybersecurity being treated by different organisations and trade bodies within the print and signage industries? Many recent business events held by the likes of the Independent Print Industries CYBERSECURITY | DAVID OSGAR These threats are no longer hypothetical as attackers increasingly target small and medium enterprises that they perceive as having weaker digital defences According a 2025 report by cybersecurity specialist, Arctic Wolf, more than two-thirds (68%) of IT leaders said their organisation had experienced a breach in the past 12 months – an 8% increase compared to 2024 Factoid ▲Paul Birbilas, cyber development executive at Howden UK 56 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 264 - April | May 2026
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