Ransomware Destroys 158-Year-Old UK Firm in Cyberattack
- Admin
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Northamptonshire, UK – July 21, 2025 — In a sobering reminder of the growing threat of cybercrime, a single weak password has led to the catastrophic downfall of KNP Logistics Group, a 158-year-old transport and haulage company operating under the Knights of Old brand. The historic firm has been forced to close its doors permanently following a crippling ransomware attack attributed to the notorious cybercriminal group Akira, resulting in the loss of over 700 jobs.
The attack, which encrypted all critical company data and locked its IT systems, left KNP paralyzed. Hackers reportedly demanded a £5 million ransom a sum the company was unable to pay. Despite having cyber insurance and compliance with industry cybersecurity protocols, the breach proved devastating.
KNP’s fleet of 500 lorries, which served as a vital link in the UK’s logistics chain, came to a standstill as the company’s systems failed. “Would you want to know if it was you?” said Paul Abbott, a director at KNP, referring to the employee whose password was likely compromised and used as the entry point for the attackers.
Founded in the 19th century, KNP had weathered wars, recessions, and industry shifts. But in the digital age, it fell victim to what cybersecurity experts call a preventable lapse poor password hygiene. The company has now gone into administration, with employees receiving formal redundancy notices this week.
The impact has rippled through the community and across the UK logistics sector, raising serious questions about how even legacy firms with reputations for resilience can be undone by digital vulnerabilities.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued urgent warnings about the surge in ransomware attacks, reporting that over 19,000 British businesses were targeted in the past year alone. The average ransom demand now sits at £4 million, with roughly one-third of companies opting to pay often without guarantees of full data restoration.
Akira, the group behind the KNP breach, has been linked to multiple high-profile attacks across Europe, often exploiting weak or reused passwords to infiltrate networks before encrypting entire systems.
Cybersecurity experts and business leaders are now calling for immediate action across industries, emphasizing:
Mandatory use of multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Regular staff training on cybersecurity best practices
Strict password management protocols
Advanced threat detection and system backup solutions
“This is a wake-up call for every company, large or small,” said Dr. Fiona Meadows, cybersecurity strategist at the UK Institute for Cyber Risk. “No one is immune, and one weak password can destroy a century-old institution.”
The Department for Business and Trade expressed “deep concern” over the collapse of KNP and is reportedly reviewing national cybersecurity policies, particularly in relation to critical infrastructure and transportation sectors.
Meanwhile, former employees of KNP are scrambling to find new work in an industry already stretched by driver shortages, Brexit-related disruptions, and global supply chain volatility.
The fall of KNP is more than a business failure it’s a national cautionary tale about the modern risks facing even the most established organizations. In an age where digital vulnerabilities can outweigh physical ones, cybersecurity is no longer optional it’s existential.
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