Ukrainian bank cyber-heist: Hackers compromise Swift network in $10m theft. Hackers have reportedly stolen $10m from a bank in Ukraine by exploiting the Swift messaging system, according to reports emerging from the region citing an independent IT monitoring organisation called the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). Cybercriminals were able to compromise the bank’s security in similar fashion to the incident at the Bangladesh central bank in which $81m (£56m) was stolen by hackers.
Attackers are packaging the newest and most sophisticated attack tools in long out-of-date malware wrappers, targeting medical devices running legacy operating systems, to breach hospital networks for advanced persistent attacks.
Facebook is undoubtedly the most used social media around the world and that’s what makes it an attractive target for cyber criminals as every now and then users complain about their account being compromised due to phishing or malware scam. Currently, a malware scam is infecting Facebook users in which they receive a notification in the app and/or in their email about a friend tagging in a comment, upon clicking the link, a malware is downloaded on their device.
Cyber security researchers have discovered a huge botnet of zombie Twitter accounts sitting on the social network, but amazingly Twitter hasn’t noticed or got rid of it. Researchers from social media fraud investigations team Sadbottrue have found a botnet containing three million Twitter accounts, together with two other botnets each containing 100,000 bots that are likely being used by online services that offer to rent or sell Twitter followers to businesses, celebrities or individuals that want more followers.
With cyber-attack becoming more powerful and sophisticated enterprises and users need to be alerted as well as find ways to protect themselves.
Anglo African brings you some tips to evade a cyber-attack:
One simple view of “cyber risk” is to break it down into two concepts: operational and informational risk.
Operational cyber risk arises out of a firm’s unprecedented reliance on electronic systems and the devastating effect on business that can occur when those systems are interrupted or interfered with.
Informational cyber risk arises out of the legal and commercial risks attaching to data and information. Solicitors firms are no different to any other company in holding ever increasing volumes of electronic data.
When considering the operational and information aspects of cyber risk, it quickly becomes clear that cyber is a risk that can only be mitigated and not eliminated. Therefore, companies should also prepare and rehearse for cyber and data breach incidents, and even consider purchasing cyber insurance coverage.
The following precautions may help minimise the risk of a data attack:
- Ensure there is appropriate vetting of employees with access to confidential data;
- Require employees to change passwords frequently;
- Use additional layers of IT security for those accessing data remotely such as home workers;
- Ensure IT is properly managed and overseen by senior IT members responsible for an efficient and modern system (adopting the best security practices available);
- Ensure appropriate IT education is given to staff;
- Restrict those employees/officials who can access the entire internal system;
- Spread data across multiple infrastructures to limit the impact of a leak; and
- Prepare a response plan that will respond in the event the system is attacked.
Use the cyber security requirements as a way to improve overall security and thus avoid costly and damaging incidents in the future. Contact Anglo African team to assist you in your cyber security need on 2331636 or contact@infosystems.mu
