A cyber security expert claims the attack on the Royal Mail has “set the tone” for 2023.

Hackers severely disrupted overseas exports from the firm, it was revealed yesterday.

Now Deryck Mitchelson, the respected Field CISO at Check Point Software, said Royal Mail’s experience serves as a warning to everyone.

Mitchelson said: “Last year, the number of cyberattacks continued to increase at a concerning rate.

“This is why it is not unsurprising that in the first few weeks of the new year, a key institution has already suffered at the hands of opportunistic cybercriminals.

“While the details of the attack are yet to be revealed, it appears this incident has only impacted overseas deliveries, suggesting that segmentation may have had a part to play in keeping domestic postal services secure.

“We know that Royal Mail experienced a minor leak last year, so this should act as a reminder to everyone that you could fall victim more than once.

HOW THE ROYAL MAIL STORY BROKE

“Cybercriminals have set the tone for the year already. If organisations don’t take the necessary steps right now, they will be breached.

“As a result, it’s vital that we all take advantage of the tools at our disposal to keep data safe and services operational.”

The Royal Mail said the impact would only be temporary.

A spokesman said: “Some customers may experience delay or disruption to items already shipped for export.

“Our import operations continue to perform a full service with some minor delays.”

The Royal Mail is advising customers to temporarily hold off on trying to export mail while the problem is dealt with, using “external experts”.