The IT Nerd

Today, May 12th, marks Anti-Ransomware Day and commemorates the 2017 global WannaCry attack which majorly disrupted the UK’s NHS. That was a huge event at the time. And sadly things have only gotten worse since then.

Rebecca Moody, Head of Data Research at Comparitech had this to say: 

“In 2017, ransomware, to many people, was still a huge unknown. Fast-forward to today, and it’s a word within a lot of people’s vocabulary–even if they don’t understand the technical jargon surrounding it. This is because of large-scale attacks like WannaCry and the current attack on Marks and Spencer, bringing these types of attacks to the forefront. “

“Sadly, however, while awareness around these types of attacks has grown, so too has the number of attacks. Since 2018, we’ve seen yearly increases in the number of ransomware attacks (except for a dip in 2022), and the amount of data involved in these attacks has also risen exponentially. Hackers have become increasingly focused on double-extortion tactics whereby systems are encrypted (for one ransom payment) and data is also stolen (for another ransom payment).”

“Since 2018, we’ve tracked 281 confirmed ransomware attacks in the UK alone (confirmed attacks are those acknowledged by the entity involved). These attacks have led to the breach of over 3.3 million records and have seen average ransom demands of nearly USD $8.6 million (GBP £6.5 million).”

“40 of these attacks and nearly 1.2 million records are from 2024. And we’ve already seen 12 attacks this year so far. While no breaches have been reported for the attacks this year, we’ll likely see significant numbers involved in the attacks on M&S and Co-op.”

“While the threat landscape surrounding ransomware attacks has changed, the basics for thwarting these attacks remain the same. Make sure systems are up to date, patch vulnerabilities as soon as you become aware of them, carry out regular system back-ups, have detailed plans in place if the worst should happen, and, perhaps most crucially, carry out regular staff training. As we’ve seen with Harrods, Co-op, and M&S, social engineering tactics were used to carry out these attacks, whereby employees were tricked into changing their passwords.”

The world isn’t a safe place right now based on the fact that I started out occasionally reporting on ransomware attacks to reporting on them daily. Thus let’s use today as a catalyst to make whatever changes are required to make the world a whole lot safer when it comes to ransomware.

Today is Data Innovation Day, an annual event held on May 11 to celebrate the pivotal role of data in driving innovation and growth in business, government, and society. It is a day we recognize data professionals’ achievements and raise awareness about data innovation’s crucial role in shaping the modern world. 

As we commemorate Data Innovation Day, Robert Renzoni, Director of Technical Sales, Federal at Hammerspace, the high-performance data platform for AI, shares his unique perspective on its significance to the U.S Federal Government and why mobilizing data is the key to empowering the future of AI and government modernization:  

“Every year, Data Innovation Day invites us to reflect on how data shapes our world—and to reimagine how we manage, access, and use it to drive societal progress. The celebration is more than symbolic for government leaders, federal system integrators, and IT modernization strategists. It’s a call to action.

As artificial intelligence and machine learning have become central to national security, public services, and policy execution, the ability to mobilize and share data securely and efficiently is now a strategic imperative. But there’s a challenge: most federal agencies are still grappling with legacy IT systems not built for today’s distributed, data-intensive demands.

At the heart of modernization lies a fundamental question: Can data be moved as fast as the mission requires?

AI Is Starving Without the Right Data Infrastructure

AI doesn’t just need data —it requires the correct data in the right place and time. Whether it’s training large language models, performing real-time inference at the edge, or deploying predictive analytics for public health or defense, AI workloads demand:

• High-performance access to diverse, often siloed data sources
• Rapid, policy-based orchestration of data across hybrid and multi-cloud environments
• Data provenance, governance, and compliance in every step of the pipeline

Yet federal data often resides in legacy storage systems, scattered across geographically separated locations, air-gapped environments, and cloud enclaves. This fragmentation makes it incredibly difficult, sometimes impossible, for agencies to leverage AI’s potential fully.

Data Innovation Is More Than a Buzzword—It’s a Modernization Mandate

Data Innovation Day isn’t just about technology—it’s about creating the conditions for innovation to flourish. In government, that means breaking down systemic data barriers to support faster, smarter, and more secure decision-making.

Data mobilization—the ability to move and access data transparently across environments—is no longer a “nice to have.” It is a foundational requirement for AI-readiness and a cornerstone of initiatives like:

• Executive Order 14110 on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development of AI
• Federal Data Strategy and the Federal Data Maturity Model
• The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Modernization Goals
• Zero Trust Architecture mandates, which require dynamic access and control

On this Data Innovation Day, we applaud bold thinkers who push boundaries and incorporate cutting-edge technology to advance their data strategies. While AI, hybrid cloud, and edge computing constantly improve, one fact remains unchanged: true innovation relies on providing optimized access to data.”