To pay or not to pay
When Medibank were cyber attacked last year millions of customers were affected but the financial fall out and punishment is not commensurate with the distress and loss faced by individuals grappling with identity fraud.
ransomware
Hacksville
We have witnessed the relentless ease with which data is being compromised, stolen, held to ransom, we are also trying to legislate digital theft, not from the dirty, baseless criminals stealing it but from the companies that allow it to happen. A long read in The Guardian titled Ransomware hunters: the self-taught tech geniuses fighting cybercrime discusses how ransomware is an efficient crime with little accountability. Even if you pinpoint and arrest the criminal, the damage is far-reaching and ubiquitous and can be traumatising to those that have had their identity stolen.
Great Information War
Russia has been a key player in cyberattacks over the last two decades with hacking collectives making waves through ransomware, spyware and data theft. According to Forbes earlier this month, 60% of cyberattacks were linked to state actors affiliated with Russia. If Russia wants to fight using cybertechnology they certainly have the means, workforce and intelligence.
Irish Luck
Ireland Health Services (HSE), Ireland’s public hospital network, is digging its heels in to avoid paying ransom following a ransomware attack by the Conti group in mid-May causing chaos.
NetWalker arrested
A lightbulb moment happened when Faster Networks read about the latest FBI arrest of ransomware hacker, NetWalker.
