Manual data transfers leave UK & US agencies exposed

Everfox has published research suggesting national security organisations in the UK and US still rely on manual processes to move sensitive information, even as cyberattacks rise and concerns grow about the risks of sharing data across networks.

Its CYBER360: Defending the Digital Battlespace report found that 53% of government IT security leaders still use manual methods to transfer sensitive data. It also found that 84% believe sharing sensitive data across networks increases cyber risk.

The findings are based on a survey of 500 security leaders and IT decision-makers across government, defence, and critical services in the UK and US. The sample was split evenly between the two countries.

Attack volumes

National security organisations faced an average of 137 attempted or successful cyberattacks per week in 2025, up from 127 per week in 2024, according to the report.

US respondents reported more weekly attacks than their UK counterparts, with attacks against US agencies up 25% over the past year.

The report links these pressures to changes in technology and data use. It argues that faster decision cycles are putting greater strain on the systems and processes used to share and access information across sensitive environments and with allied nations.

Infrastructure gaps

Outdated infrastructure emerged as a common theme. Some 78% of respondents cited it as a primary source of cyber vulnerability, which the report ties to analogue systems and manual steps in workflows that involve secure data sharing.

Concerns about information integrity in transit also featured prominently. Nearly half of respondents (49%) said ensuring data integrity and preventing tampering during transfers across classified or coalition networks was their single biggest challenge.

Identity and authentication across multiple domains remained a major issue. Some 45% cited managing identity and authentication across domains as the biggest challenge to securing access to mission data across different environments.

The research comes as public sector organisations on both sides of the Atlantic continue modernisation programmes to replace legacy systems, strengthen cyber resilience, and improve interoperability with partners. The report suggests these efforts can stall when sensitive data movement depends on manual steps and security models are applied inconsistently across networks.

Security models

The challenges highlighted in the survey point to the need for an approach beyond perimeter defences. Everfox outlined a model combining Zero Trust, Data Centric Security, and Cross Domain Solutions, arguing that together they can support cross-domain data exchange and access across mission-critical systems.

Manual transfer methods can include controlled file copying between systems, the use of removable media, and other procedures that require human involvement. The report does not break down which approaches respondents use, but describes manual steps as weak links in secure data sharing, particularly alongside older infrastructure.

The survey also points to the impact of AI on operational pace, saying it is accelerating tempo and widening the gap between how quickly information is generated and how quickly it can be shared securely across environments.

Dave Wajsgras, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Everfox, said the changing environment is increasing the importance of data in national security operations.

"The battlefield is transforming, and data is becoming more and more vital to mission success. Decision advantage now hinges on the capability to share and access data at mission speed without compromising security. A new cybersecurity framework that adds a layer of data-centric security and the ability to quickly share trusted information needs to become the foundation to achieve operational resilience and mission assurance," said Dave Wajsgras, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Everfox.

The findings add detail to a familiar tension in government and defence IT: protecting sensitive information while moving it across a mix of classified, unclassified, and coalition systems. They suggest many organisations still see data sharing across networks as risky, even as operational demands require faster exchange.

Everfox expects agencies to respond by modernising infrastructure, tightening cross-domain identity controls, and improving assurance for data in transit as they reassess how information is moved between sensitive environments and with allied partners.