In 2024, 26 billion files were stolen worldwide, or 11,000 every second. The personal cost of fraud for individuals now averages £21,500. For businesses, the impact of a breach has climbed to £4.35 million.

These aren’t abstract numbers. They are the reality of a hyper-connected world where exposure is inevitable and the cost of failure keeps rising.

At Connected Britain 2025, Firevault will join the debate on what this means for the UK’s future resilience and why disconnection must now be part of the solution.

Day 1 — Britain’s Cyber Underground

On Day 1 at 16:45, Firevault Founder Mark Fermor will speak alongside industry leaders including Bridgette Bigmore (UKTL), Nicole Wong (Darktrace), and Alan Jenkins (OTShield).

The session, “Britain’s cyber underground: How hacktivism and cybercrime are testing national resilience,” will ask:

• Who are the actors behind the rise in hacktivism and cybercrime?
• What do they want — money, disruption, or power?
• How vulnerable is Britain’s national digital infrastructure?
• Is the country ready for the next major cyber attack?

Cybercrime has moved beyond theft. It’s about disruption, reputation, and influence. The panel will examine how prepared Britain really is to face the challenge.

Day 2 — The New Cyber Battleground

On Day 2 at 13:30, Mark will return as Moderator to lead the session “The new cyber battleground: Protecting Britain’s critical infrastructure.”

Joined by experts from the UK Telecoms Lab, Cybersecurity Business Network, Liverpool John Moores University, and Cyberhash, the panel will explore:

• Which sectors are most vulnerable and why
• How industries can collaborate more effectively to defend infrastructure
• What lessons can be drawn from recent attacks at home and abroad
• Whether today’s regulations are fit for purpose — or already outdated

This is not a theoretical discussion. It is about protecting the services that keep Britain moving — from energy and water to telecoms and transport.

Firevault’s Perspective

Firevault was created because defending exposure is not enough. Attackers only need to succeed once. Defenders need to succeed every time. That is a battle Britain cannot keep winning.

Our philosophy is simple: Disconnect to Protect™.

• Vault safeguards individuals, stakeholders, and HNWIs by locking their most sensitive files fully offline.
• Storage isolates business-critical records, board packs, and R&D from digital attack.
• Platform (fvPaaS™) delivers offline-first resilience at scale for industries and partners.

Offline means no open ports, no stolen credentials, no way in. It is not about slowing progress — it is about creating a foundation of control, privacy, and trust in a hyper-connected world.

The Takeaway

Connected Britain is where the future of UK connectivity is debated. But if Britain is to be truly secure, the conversation must go further. Connectivity drives innovation, but it also guarantees exposure.

Firevault’s message is clear: security will not be won by adding more fragile layers on top of broken systems. It will be won by redefining the model — by removing the target altogether.

At Connected Britain 2025, that’s the debate Firevault is bringing to the stage.