Cyber security threats are escalating across the UK, with more than 40% of businesses and 30% of charities reporting breaches over the past 12 months. Even household names like Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods were recently forced to suspend online operations to contain cyber-attacks.
This surge highlights that cyber-crime is happening right now and it could affect anyone. For organisations, the consequences can be particularly severe, including financial losses, reputational damage and operational disruption. Take a look at this week’s blog to find out what this means for our industry and what Sheriff Construction is doing to protect your data.
Why IT security matters in construction
As a subcontractor, we manage highly sensitive information (project files, client contracts, design drawings and even financial data) to bid for and execute projects. This level of data inherently places us in the line of fire for cyber threat actors.
A real-world example occurred in 2020 when two construction companies (Interserve and BAM Construct) were hit by cyber-attacks while building emergency hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic. Although there was no lasting damage to either company, the incident revealed how vulnerable even well-prepared firms can be. Had defensive measures not been in place, the consequences could have been devastating.
In the construction sector, a serious cyber-attack could cause project delays, regulatory fines, and irreparable reputational harm – ultimately risking a company’s ability to secure future work and partnerships.
What we’re doing to prevent threats
At Sheriff Construction, we recognise the critical role of IT security across our business. Here’s how we protect your data:
- Google Workspace: We subscribe to the highest tier, which provides best-in-class data protection, including 2FA, secure cloud storage, and data loss prevention tools.
- Secure file transfers: We use end-to-end encrypted services like WeTransfer to send and receive documents safely.
- Admin controls: Our dedicated admin team manages individual access privileges, ensuring external data is only seen by authorised staff.
- GDPR compliance: Two team members are certified through High Speed Training, giving them a strong understanding of how to comply with EU and UK GDPR. We maintain a robust and regularly updated GDPR policy, continually audit how our information is stored and following strong password practices.
- ISO 27001 in progress: Our cyber security champion, Luca Prendergast, is leading our work towards ISO 27001 certification – the leading international standard in information security management.
- Employee awareness: We run regular training on topics such as phishing, spam and best practices around data protection.
- IT partnership with Aimtech: Our collaboration adds an extra layer of protection – including real-time antimalware, internet traffic management and regular system audits to check for compromised servers or passwords.
What this means for our clients
By applying rigorous cyber‑security measures, we deliver on three key principles:
- Uninterrupted projects: No unforeseen delays due to cyber incidents.
- Compliance assurance: We are Confidentiality assured, meaning our data integrity is aligned with the requirements of government bodies and top‑tier clients.
- Peace of mind: Your information is safe with us, reducing stress and helping to build trust.
What do you think?
We believe the actions we’ve taken are helping us to maintain seamless delivery, compliance and confident partnerships. Is there more we could be doing? Share your thoughts with us by commenting on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
23.06.2025
Feature image: Freepik
