Business & Technology
UK firms struggle to map supply chain cyber threats
More than eight in 10 UK cyber security and third-party risk professionals say their organisation experienced at least one supply chain cyber incident in the past year, highlighting continued gaps in supplier oversight and incident response.
Risk Ledger‘s research Every Link Matters: The State of Supply Chain Security 2026 – UK Edition found 82.4% of respondents recorded at least one supply chain incident in the previous 12 months. Almost half, at 47.2%, reported two or more. The findings suggest supply chain cyber risk remains a persistent issue for organisations across sectors, despite stronger regulatory scrutiny of operational resilience and supplier dependencies.
Risk levels
The survey of 500 UK cyber security and third-party risk management professionals found 86% ranked supply chain cyber incidents among their top three concerns for 2026.
The data also shows a gap between concern and readiness. Only 6% of respondents said they could accurately map exposure across their supplier ecosystem in under four hours after a major supply chain cyber incident. Another 45% said it would take between four and 24 hours.
More than a quarter said it would take one to three business days. A further 23% said it would take more than a week and require manual outreach to suppliers.
Those delays can limit an organisation’s ability to respond when a supplier is compromised. Teams need to know which business services, systems and processes may be exposed. They also need to understand whether risk extends deeper into the supply chain.
Slow checks
Supplier due diligence remains slow. Only 38% of respondents said their organisation could complete security due diligence for a new supplier within two weeks.
Another 34.6% said the process took three weeks or more. Within that group, 12% said it took more than one month.
Risk Ledger’s analysis points to a structural weakness in many third-party risk management processes. They often remain manual and focused on bilateral assessment between one customer and one supplier. Many still rely on bespoke questionnaires and periodic reviews.
That approach can create duplicated work for suppliers. It can also leave customers relying on information that may not reflect current security controls.
Visibility gap
Visibility beyond direct suppliers remains uneven.
Some 30% of respondents said they had full visibility into the entire chain of subcontractors contributing to important business functions. Just over half, at 50.2%, said they had high visibility into all direct subcontractors of critical third parties.
A further 16% reported only partial visibility into some fourth parties of their critical suppliers. Only 3% said they had no visibility beyond direct critical third parties.
The findings come as regulators in the UK and EU put greater emphasis on operational resilience, concentration risk and the mapping of digital dependencies. This includes closer scrutiny of subcontractors and deeper-tier relationships that support critical or important services.
“Identifying systemic risks is really important. However in most cases, only industry-level associations have enough combined resources and adequate information sharing guardrails in place to efficiently identify actual systemic risks, agree actions and, with the help of regulators, influence large players in the supply chain,” said Yohann Le Grand, Senior Security & Resilience GRC Manager, Lloyds Wealth.
Network mapping
Risk Ledger sets out a model it calls Active Supply Chain Security. It is based on standardised assessments, continuous monitoring, network visibility, collective defence and faster incident response.
The survey suggests organisations are open to more collaborative approaches. Some 42% of respondents said their organisation would be very supportive of an industry-wide model in which supplier intelligence and assurance data are shared with peers. A further 50.2% said they would be somewhat supportive.
Risk Ledger also examined three groups using its platform: 26 government organisations, 25 local authorities and 30 financial institutions.
Across the government group, the platform identified 3,240 direct third parties and 5,886 additional dependencies across shared nth parties. It also identified 1,264 potential concentration risks, including 820 at third-party level.
Of those third-party concentration risks, 224 were rated critical. Risk Ledger said this means an incident at one supplier would be likely to disrupt essential services at multiple public sector organisations.
“Risk Ledger’s Network Visualisation Tool has enabled us to efficiently identify critical risks across our supply chain, helping us address potential concentration risks before they escalate,” said Chris Phillips, Third-Party Compliance and Assurance Lead, Home Office Cyber Security (HOCS) | Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC).
Sector exposure
The local authority group had 1,004 direct third parties and 7,659 additional dependencies across shared nth parties. Risk Ledger identified 1,240 potential concentration risks, including 364 at third-party level. Of those, 99 were rated critical.
The financial services group had 2,780 direct third parties and 6,529 additional dependencies. The platform identified 1,322 potential concentration risks, including 727 at third-party level. Of those, 288 were rated critical.
The analysis also found control weaknesses among some critical concentration risks. In the financial services group, 120 suppliers classified as critical third-party concentration risks did not have Cyber Essentials certification. Two were not using Multi-Factor Authentication to secure remote access to their network or cloud environments. Ten did not regularly test or rehearse Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans.
“A big challenge with third-party risk management comes down to how corporations and other organisations tackle peer-to-peer communication from within their respective siloes. We (as customers of common suppliers) need to get better at working with each other and trusting what our peers are doing. Using feedback as a form of intelligence about shared interests would allow companies to focus more time on fixing the things we really care about,” said Jay Vinda, Global CISO and Cyber Risk Engineering Lead, Mosaic Insurance.
Read full report here.
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Wull Technologies has secured £75,000 in project funding after co-founder Ruth-Marie Mackrodt won a Women in Innovation Award. She was one of 61 female founders selected by Innovate UK from more than 1,500 applications.
The funding will support the Manchester-based business as it moves its sheep wool insulation panels into the next stage of commercial development, including manufacturing scale-up, independent testing and product demonstration.
Wull Technologies is a joint venture between Vector Labs and Wool Insulation Wales. It is developing rigid insulation panels made from British sheep wool under the patent-pending LAMDA brand.
The panels are designed for internal and external solid-wall applications. They are aimed at buildings where insulation upgrades must improve thermal performance without trapping moisture, including heritage and traditional properties, as well as private retrofit and social housing projects.
Millions of solid-wall homes across the UK remain uninsulated, creating a large potential market for products tailored to older building types. During the 12-month project, Wull Technologies plans to demonstrate the panels in live building projects to support the evidence and certification needed for wider use in the construction sector.
The award also includes a 12-month package of business support, training and networking opportunities. Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme is marking its 10th anniversary and attracted a record 1,590 applications.
Since its launch in 2016, the programme has backed 260 female founders with more than £15 million in investment. According to Innovate UK, previous winners have gone on to secure a further £358 million in funding.
For Wull Technologies, the latest funding adds to earlier public and institutional backing. Last year, the University of Manchester Innovation Factory and Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s GM Advance Fund invested a combined £300,000 in the company, contributing £150,000 each.
Before that, the business received an Innovate UK grant of £214,000 for its initial research project. That support helped the company develop the basis of its current insulation panel work.
Mackrodt co-founded Wool Insulation Wales in 2022 and leads the Wull Technologies team alongside Technical Director Liam Britnell. The award gives the company additional support as it seeks to move from development to broader market adoption.
Commenting on the award, Mackrodt highlighted both the company’s progress and the wider case for wool-based building materials.
“I am extremely proud to have received this award, but I see it primarily as recognition of the work being undertaken by the whole Wull Technologies team and of the wider potential of British wool as an advanced material.
“Britain has a vast number of older solid-wall buildings that urgently need to become warmer and more energy efficient. That work must be carried out in a way that respects how those buildings manage moisture, rather than creating new problems that may only become visible years later.
“This award will help us move LAMDA through the next critical stage – strengthening our manufacturing process, building the independent evidence required by the construction industry and demonstrating the material in real buildings.
“It also gives us an opportunity to show that an overlooked British agricultural resource can become part of a modern, technically credible and circular manufacturing industry,” said Ruth-Marie Mackrodt, Commercial Director, Wull Technologies.
National programme
Innovate UK’s Executive Chair highlighted the scale of this year’s cohort. The programme is intended to support women building early-stage businesses across a range of sectors.
“This year’s Women in Innovation cohort represents some of the UK’s most exciting entrepreneurial talent. These founders are developing the ideas, technologies and businesses that will drive economic growth, attract investment and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.
“Many of today’s most successful companies started with bold ideas and the right support at the right time. Through Women in Innovation, we are backing founders with the ambition, talent and determination to develop the UK’s most promising companies. Many congratulations to every member of this exceptional cohort,” said Tom Adeyoola, Executive Chair, Innovate UK.
Bicester Leisure Centre has confirmed it will reopen fully on Monday, August 10, following several weeks of partial and complete closures.
However, the centre will remain fully closed tomorrow (Friday, August 7) with scheduled swimming lessons moved to Kidlington Leisure Centre.
While the changing rooms have been closed and the toilets moved to the car park, the gym, sports hall and outdoor pitches have remained in use during most of the works.
The main pool is due to welcome users again from Tuesday, August 11, marking a significant step towards normal service.
However, the Play ’n’ Teach pool will remain closed for a further three weeks while structural repairs to the roof are carried out.
Play ’n’ Teach sessions will be transferred to the main pool to minimise disruption with the majority of lesson times and days remaining unchanged, while a small number of Friday classes will operate on adjusted schedules.
The leisure centre said minor temporary changes would also be made to the main pool timetable over the coming weeks to ensure both lessons and public sessions can operate safely within the reduced space.
Operators added that they were working to provide additional public and lane swimming opportunities wherever possible during the period.
The reopening update follows growing concern among residents over the impact of the closure and ongoing restrictions.
Earlier this summer, councillors Sam Holland and Nick Mawer called for what they described as a fairer approach for members who have paid for facilities that have been unavailable during the works.
The pair say they are continuing to press Cherwell District Council over the support on offer to users.
In a joint update, they acknowledged that concessions remain available on request but argued residents should not be expected to chase compensation or fee reductions themselves when the disruption is long-running.
They said: “The current approach places too much of the burden on residents.”
The councillors have formally requested a meeting with relevant representatives at Cherwell District Council to discuss support for affected members and seek clearer communication on what assistance is available.
They added: “Residents deserve transparency, consistency and fairness while these works continue. We will continue to raise concerns on your behalf and will provide a further update once we have received a response regarding the meeting request.”
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Woojer has launched a site-wide 15% discount on its haptic gaming and wellness products across several international markets.
The promotion covers the Woojer Vest 4, Woojer STRAP 4 and Woojer MAT, aimed at users of games, films, music and relaxation products. It applies across the full range rather than a single device category.
At the lower end of the price range, the STRAP 4 costs USD $143 and GBP £137 after the discount, down from USD $169 and GBP £162. The wearable device converts audio into physical vibration and can be worn around the hips, across the chest or in a cross-body position.
Woojer has also added a styling element, offering a range of colours, patterns and themed editions linked to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Fortnite. A dedicated app for the Series 4 range lets users manage appearance settings, core functions, audio controls and firmware updates.
Higher-priced products
The Vest 4 sits in the middle of the range at USD $407 and GBP £390 after the discount, compared with USD $479 and GBP £459 previously. It uses six Osci TRX2 transducers to deliver haptic feedback across the torso while users play games, watch films, listen to music or use virtual reality applications.
According to the product details, the vest includes an integrated control panel, digital signal processing, multi-band equaliser settings, Bluetooth headset compatibility and up to eight hours of battery life. It is designed for use while seated, standing or moving.
The most expensive item in the promotion is the Woojer MAT, now priced at USD $849 and GBP £813, down from USD $999 and GBP £957. The foldable mattress topper is positioned as a home wellness product that turns sound into vibrations across the body.
Wellness push
Woojer links the MAT to vibroacoustic therapy, which combines sound and vibration in relaxation and recovery settings. The product is intended to support sleep, stress reduction, recovery, mindfulness and relief from muscular tension.
That places the MAT in a broader wellness market where consumer technology companies are trying to move beyond entertainment hardware into products associated with rest, recovery and mental wellbeing. By including the MAT in the same summer offer as its gaming wearables, Woojer presents entertainment and wellness as part of a single commercial strategy.
The promotion also highlights the company’s pricing structure. Even after the discount, the MAT remains a premium purchase at close to USD $850, while the Vest 4 still costs more than many mainstream audio accessories, suggesting Woojer is targeting consumers willing to pay more for a specialised sensory product.
At the same time, the STRAP 4 gives the company a lower entry point for buyers interested in haptic audio without spending several hundred pounds or dollars on a vest or mattress topper. That may help broaden its reach among gamers, music listeners and virtual reality users who want a wearable format rather than a larger home setup.
Beyond direct sales, Woojer also offers an affiliate programme that pays 10% commission on generated sales. This suggests the company is using partner-led marketing to widen distribution and attract attention in a crowded consumer electronics market.
Haptic technology has drawn increasing interest from gaming and immersive media companies seeking to add touch-based feedback to sound and visuals. Woojer’s product range reflects that trend, focusing on devices that translate audio signals into vibrations users can feel through a strap, vest or mattress topper.
The sale gives prospective buyers a temporary price cut across all three product categories, with discounted prices ranging from USD $143 for the STRAP 4 to USD $849 for the MAT.
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