Business & Technology

Most firms use IT tools for OT security, study finds

Published

3 months ago

May 7, 2026

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SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

e2e-assure has published research showing that nearly one in three organisations rely on IT detection platforms adapted for operational technology. The study surveyed 250 cybersecurity decision-makers across manufacturing, utilities, transport, government and defence.

The findings highlight a gap between the tools many organisations use to monitor industrial environments and the demands of OT and industrial control systems. Some 32 per cent of respondents said they rely on detection platforms built for IT and later adapted for OT, while only 15 per cent have deployed passive visibility tools designed specifically for industrial control systems.

This shortfall comes amid disruption from cyber incidents. Among those surveyed, 63 per cent said incidents in the past year had caused direct operational downtime or affected critical OT or ICS systems.

Coordination gaps

The study also highlights weaknesses in how organisations manage security across converged IT and OT environments. It found that 28 per cent still depend on manual or ad hoc coordination between IT and OT security teams, while 37 per cent use a shared platform across both environments.

These figures suggest many businesses have yet to establish a joined-up approach to incident handling in operational settings, where response times and system visibility can directly affect production and services.

Richard Groome, OT Cybersecurity Specialist at e2e-assure, said: “Most adapted IT platforms struggle in OT because they’re still thinking like IT tools. They can identify anomalies, but they often have no understanding of their business impact. OT downtime isn’t just a network problem; it’s a process problem. If you can’t interpret what an alert means for a running plant or production line, you’re not preventing downtime, you’re just creating noise.”

The research argues that extending established IT security platforms into OT environments can leave teams with large volumes of data but limited understanding of its operational meaning. In practice, that can make it harder to assess whether an alert threatens a live process, production line or critical service.

Connectivity is adding further pressure. The survey found that 70 per cent of organisations have fully or largely integrated cloud-connected environments into their IT and OT security strategies, increasing the complexity of managing exposure across systems designed with different priorities.

Groome said: “The volume of data being ingested is often not understood or actionable, meaning incidents may still be missed. More connected does not automatically mean more secure, particularly where exposure increases faster than coordinated response capability.”

Rising costs

The financial impact of OT disruption also featured in the findings. Previously shared research found that 23 per cent of the most severe OT downtime incidents cost more than £1 million, while 6 per cent exceeded £5 million.

That cost backdrop appears to be influencing spending priorities. The survey found that 63 per cent of leaders are increasing budgets for workforce training and role clarity, making this the most commonly prioritised area for additional investment.

The focus on training suggests some organisations see the problem as extending beyond technology procurement. Where IT and OT teams follow different processes or lack a shared picture of incidents, the issue may lie as much in internal coordination and decision-making as in the monitoring tools themselves.

Supply chain risk is also emerging as a greater concern in OT security programmes following recent breaches, according to the study. That reflects the dependence of many industrial and public sector operators on external vendors, software providers and maintenance partners that connect into operational environments.

The research was conducted by Censuswide among cybersecurity decision-makers at organisations with between 250 and 10,000 employees. Respondents came from sectors including food manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, energy, utilities, telecoms, retail, pharmaceuticals, central government, local government and life sciences.

Across those sectors, the findings indicate that many organisations are still trying to bridge the divide between conventional IT security practices and the operational realities of industrial systems. With only a minority using OT-specific visibility tools and more than a quarter still relying on manual coordination between teams, the data points to persistent operational blind spots as cyber incidents continue to disrupt critical systems.

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Business & Technology

Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years

Published

21 minutes ago

August 8, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.

The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.

A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).

“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.

What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?

“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”

The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.

The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.

Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.

An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.

What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?

Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”

It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.

Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”

The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.

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Business & Technology

Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review

Published

1 hour ago

August 8, 2026

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.

Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.

“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.

“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.

“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”

The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.

Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.

However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.

All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.

They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.

With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.

The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.

Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.

The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.

If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.

The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.

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Business & Technology

Full list of postcodes experiencing Royal Mail delays

Published

2 hours ago

August 8, 2026

info@oxinfo.co.uk

If you have ordered something that is being sent through Royal Mail, it might be arriving a little later than usual.

Royal Mail deliveries are currently facing delays in areas including Bedford, Deal, Huntingdon, and Llangefni.

Here are all of the postcodes across England and Wales that are currently experiencing delays.

What postcodes are experiencing Royal Mail delays?

Royal Mail posts its service updates to keep its customers aware of any issues happening at its local offices.

The delivery company said: “We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week.

“In a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible due to local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing, or other local factors.

“In those cases, we will rotate deliveries to minimise the delay to individual customers.

“We also provide targeted support to those offices to address their challenges and restore our service to the high standard our customers would normally receive.”

The full list of postcodes affected: