Automation and good data go hand in hand

A cyber-security survey hints at positive news for modern enterprises, reports Dan Jones at Tanium

 

Cyber-security headlines often paint a bleak picture of ever-rising attacks, sophisticated criminals and businesses scrambling to keep up. But beneath the doom and gloom, new data show reasons for cautious optimism. According to the government’s 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey, cyber-attacks affected just 43% of UK businesses in the past year, down from 50% in 2024. Although breaches are occurring less often, their impact remains severe, bringing disruption, financial losses, and reputational damage. This makes clear that prevention and resilience are not optional extras but essential priorities.

 

The research hints that UK businesses are starting to fight back against cyber-threats, investing in more cyber-hygiene, incident response and staff training to raise awareness. While cyber-threats remain a serious concern, this approach is starting to make a difference.

 

Although the figures are just from one year, the drop in attacks suggests that with the right measures in place, businesses can take control and protect themselves from cyber-threats. This may explain why businesses are increasingly turning to AI and automation to stay ahead of the constantly evolving threat landscape. 

 

Intelligent threat detection, anomaly monitoring and automated incident response are increasingly being seen as core components of a modern cyber-security strategy. But if businesses are to stay ahead, we also need to share knowledge and learn from those on the front line. 

 

It’s a view underlined in a recent report published by Tanium and Chief Disruptor called The Interconnection between People, Process and Technology: A Reality Check on IT Complexity, Security Resilience and the Dawn of Automation and AI. 

 

The rise of automation and AI

Based on in-depth interviews with 22 accomplished IT and Security leaders and innovators, the report tackles some of the big issues facing our industry today. And while the overall message is that the sector needs to reframe cyber-security as a people-first challenge, another clear takeaway is the growing operational role of AI and automation in modernising security strategies.

 

Just ask Duncan Hayes, Cybersecurity Director at Hargreaves Lansdown. Like many IT leaders, he sees AI and automation as key to transforming security operations, not just for efficiency, but for the wellbeing and engagement of his team.

 

“Security professionals enjoy their jobs when they’re solving interesting problems, not sifting through endless alerts. Our goal is to use AI and automation to enhance their efficiency, while keeping their roles engaging,” he said. “AI can help contextualise alerts, filter out false positives and provide actionable intelligence. This allows our analysts to focus on investigations that require human intuition and lateral thinking.”

 

For IT leaders like Hayes, the value of AI lies in its ability to reduce the cognitive load and emotional fatigue that come with going through endless false positives. AI helps protect not just the business, but the wellbeing of the people defending it. Keeping analysts focused and engaged isn’t just good for morale, it’s essential for long-term resilience.

 

Real-world impact from the front line

These comments are echoed by Jim Green, Technical Director and AI & Data Team Lead at AtkinsRéalis. While much of the conversation around AI focuses on its creative or cognitive potential, Jim sees its most meaningful impact today in streamlining the day-to-day.

 

“When we look at what AI is optimising, it really is back-end efficiencies,” he explains. “It tackles those mundane tasks that humans often find repetitive and dull. Automating these processes is where AI shines. While discussions about generative or general AI and their future potential are exciting, the real impact for me is in eliminating tedious tasks.”

 

Jim’s perspective reflects a practical approach to AI adoption, one grounded in efficiency and measurable outcomes. For organisations with growing operational demands, this kind of automation can deliver real value, not only by reducing manual workloads, but by freeing up teams to focus on higher-value, more strategic activities.

 

And one area where this challenge is especially acute is healthcare. For leaders like Jason Bradley, Chief Digital and Data Officer at NHS Digital, his mission is to deliver “the best technology, processes and data to support our staff and patients, ensuring we provide the highest quality digital and data services and the best working conditions for our staff.”

 

The data dilemma

Delivering on that mission means driving compliance with NHS minimum standards for cyber-security and data governance, and embedding security ownership at all levels of the organisation. But, with the greatest vulnerability for the NHS coming from third-party suppliers, ensuring departments address these risks is Jason’s biggest priority because, in his words, “ensuring their security is as strong as ours is a critical challenge”.

 

“We operate multiple systems within and outside our organisation, but suppliers in the NHS ecosystem often provide poor interoperability and APIs,” he said. “Clinicians need seamless access to patient data without duplicating the entry or missing critical information. Achieving an open, connected system architecture will be one of our biggest challenges in the coming years.”

 

For Jon Jacobs, formerly Transformation Director at Haleon, it’s much more fundamental than that. As he put it: “As you build on top of what you’ve already got, if your data isn’t consistent underneath, then AI won’t work. Data, I think, is at the heart of that chain. But I think you can use the automation, processing power and AI to actually improve the data. That’s a kind of starting point.”

 

It’s clear that automation and AI are powerful assets regardless of what industry is adopting them, but only if the fundamentals are in place. Security, interoperability and data consistency remain the bedrock for everything that follows. 

 

Building on the positives

Sifting through all the interviews, you get a real sense that today’s security leaders aren’t just reacting to threats, but that they’re starting to reshape the way their organisations think about and manage risk in a more proactive and innovation-driven way.

 

The good news is that businesses are responding to cyber-threats with smarter tools and smarter thinking. The findings point to clear progress – building the confidence that, by harnessing AI and automation, organisations can stay ahead while empowering their people to drive success.

 

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Dan Jones is Senior Security Advisor at Tanium

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and NicoElNino