Historic UK Logistics Firm Brought Down by Ransomware: A Wake-Up Call for British Businesses
A cyberattack has ended a 160-year legacy. Knights of Old, a well-established logistics company headquartered in Kettering, Northamptonshire, has been forced into administration after falling victim to a crippling ransomware strike, leaving 730 employees without jobs and sparking urgent warnings from leadership.
Board member Paul Abbott disclosed that the breach, launched by the Akira ransomware group in June 2023, dismantled the company’s digital infrastructure—despite their confidence in existing cybersecurity protocols.
“We genuinely believed we were secure,” said Abbott. “But the attack hit our financial data hard, and the fallout was immediate and irreversible.”
The incident highlights how modern logistics—built on interconnected digital frameworks—can unravel overnight. Manual workarounds proved insufficient when core data systems failed, and missed lender reporting deadlines left the business financially exposed and unable to recover.
A ransom note embedded deep within the IT systems marked the start of the company’s unraveling. Efforts to salvage operations came too late.
Abbott emphasized the wider implications: “It’s not just the breach—it’s the erosion of trust. The damage to reputation is often more fatal than the immediate technical loss.”
This event coincides with ransomware-related chaos across other UK industries, including current disruptions at retailers Marks & Spencer and Co-op, reportedly under siege by DragonForce hackers.
KNP Logistics Group, the parent company of Knights of Old, confirmed that the ransomware attack severely compromised operational systems and financial data—undermining its ability to attract new capital and stabilise the group.
Tash Buckley, a cybersecurity specialist at Cranfield University, says the situation reflects a broader vulnerability: “Large firms can afford recovery teams. Smaller companies often can’t absorb the blow.”
The Akira ransomware group, active since early 2023, primarily exploits weak VPN configurations lacking multi-factor authentication. To date, it has targeted over 250 organizations worldwide, accumulating tens of millions in extorted payments.
Paul Cashmore, incident responder at Solace Cyber, who worked directly with Knights of Old, urges companies to go beyond basic protection: “Enforce MFA on every system, ensure backups are isolated and offline, and avoid linking recovery infrastructure to everyday operations.”
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) backs this advice, stressing the need to patch known vulnerabilities and build cybersecurity into the DNA of every business.
Abbott leaves no room for complacency:
“You may feel protected, but assumptions won’t save you. Get independent assessments—test your defences before someone else does.”
