Cyber Attack Severity Scores Are Here But Will They Really Help?
Cyber attacks are hitting harder and more often, and businesses are underestimating the damage until it is too late.
The UK-based Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) just launched a new system. It scores the severity of cyber attacks. The scoring ranks incidents on a scale from 1 to 5. The idea? Give the public a clear picture of how serious cyber threats really are.
Sounds great in theory. But will it actually protect businesses from devastating cyber attacks?
Cyber Attacks Are Worse Than Most Businesses Realize
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) received 317 ransomware reports in 2024. That is just ransomware—there were 1,957 total cyber attacks recorded last year.
Even more alarming, the NCSC warned that organizations across all industries are underestimating their cyber risk.
That underestimation is exactly why hackers keep winning.
Cybercriminals do not care if a business thinks it is too small to be a target. They know most companies have weak security, undertrained employees, and outdated defenses.
Now, the CMC wants to put hard numbers on the damage cyber attacks cause.
How the CMC Severity Score Works
The CMC severity score ranks cyber attacks from 1 to 5, based on:
✅ How many businesses are affected
✅ How much financial damage is done
A category 5 cyber attack means more than 136,000 organizations were hit, and the financial impact exceeds £5 billion.
These rankings give a clearer picture of large-scale cyber disasters, but there is a major problem:
By the time an attack gets a severity rating, the damage is already done.
A Post-Mortem Report Won’t Save Your Business
Cybersecurity experts agree that more transparency about the true cost of cyber attacks is a step in the right direction.
But here’s the catch: the CMC score only tells the story after the attack happens.
That does nothing to:
❌ Stop ransomware before it locks your files
❌ Prevent business email compromise scams
❌ Detect intrusions before hackers drain your accounts
Relying on a post-attack analysis to confirm the severity of an incident is ineffective. It’s similar to checking the weather report after the hurricane has already hit.
At that point, the damage is done.
Why Cyber Attacks Keep Getting Worse
Hackers are not slowing down. They are:
🚨 Using AI to automate cyber attacks
🚨 Targeting businesses that assume they are too small to be hit
🚨 Deploying ransomware and extortion tactics faster than ever
The biggest reason cyber attacks keep working? Businesses do not take action until after they have already been breached.
That mindset has to change.
What Businesses Need to Do Right Now
The CMC score will not protect your business—but these steps will.
1. Stop Thinking Cybersecurity Is Just for Large Companies
Hackers love when small and mid-sized businesses assume they are too insignificant to be targeted.
The truth? Smaller businesses are easier targets because they do not have strong defenses.
If your company stores customer data, financial records, or sensitive business information, you are already a target.
2. Deploy Multi-Layered Cybersecurity Measures
A firewall and antivirus are not enough. Your business needs:
✅ Advanced endpoint security that blocks ransomware before it executes
✅ 24/7 network monitoring to detect threats in real-time
✅ Multi-factor authentication (MFA) to prevent account takeovers
✅ Regular employee cybersecurity training to stop phishing scams
3. Test Your Cyber Defenses Before Hackers Do
Most companies do not know how vulnerable they are until after an attack.
Running a cybersecurity risk assessment will:
✔ Identify weak spots hackers would exploit
✔ Test your security response before a real attack happens
✔ Show exactly where to strengthen your defenses
4. Take Cybersecurity Seriously Before It’s Too Late
Once a cyber attack hits your business, the damage is irreversible.
💰 Financial losses from downtime, data theft, and legal fees
🚫 Reputation damage from customer data leaks
📉 Regulatory fines for failing to secure sensitive information
By the time a CMC severity score shows the attack’s severity, your business will be handling the fallout. You will already be addressing the consequences.
Actions to Take
The CMC severity score will show how devastating cyber attacks are—but it won’t stop them.
The only way to protect your business? Take action before hackers strike.
Do not wait for an attack to find out where your company is vulnerable.
Get a free cybersecurity risk assessment today and secure your business before it is too late.
