Critical Website Security Update: What Your Business Should Do Now

A significant cybersecurity issue has emerged this week, potentially affecting websites and online services worldwide.

Two critical security weaknesses have been identified in PHP, a technology widely used to power websites, customer portals and business applications. Collectively known as PHP2Shell, these weaknesses could allow criminals to gain unauthorised access to affected systems.

The impact is already being felt internationally, with government websites across parts of Europe temporarily taken offline and major technology providers responding to the issue.

Importantly, these disruptions do not necessarily mean organisations have been hacked. Many services have been deliberately taken offline as a precaution while security updates are applied, rather than as a result of a successful cyberattack.

What should your business do?

Contact your website and software providers – Ask them to confirm whether your services are affected and that appropriate security updates have been applied.

Prioritise business-critical systems – Pay particular attention to customer portals, websites, booking systems and applications containing sensitive information.

Remain vigilant – Be cautious of unexpected messages about security updates or service disruptions, especially those requesting passwords or urgent action.

There is no need for alarm, but prompt action is important. This advisory is intended to help you take sensible precautions and does not suggest that your organisation has been affected.

As part of our ongoing security practices, we have reviewed our internal systems and applied any necessary updates. We are also working with the third-party organisations we use to make sure they are taking appropriate steps to keep their systems secure.

If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We can provide details of relevant resources and contacts that may be helpful in understanding what this means for your business.

Kind regards,
Mark Smith
Chief Technology Officer