Threat Alerts - Kobargo

Data Breach, Cyber Alert Monday 07-29-2019

DATA BREACH, CYBER ALERT MONDAY:

LAST WEEK, HACKERS SEND A MESSAGE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EMPLOYEE ERRORS COMPROMISE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE’S DATA…

LAST WEEK’S HACKS, ATTACKS, DATA BREACHES AND MORE…

Northwood, Inc: Provider of medical equipment, prosthetics, and supplies

Exploit: Unauthorized email account access

Risk to Small Business: 1.555 Severe: On May 6th, hackers gained access to an employee’s email account that contained patients’ personally identifiable information. A forensics investigation determined that hackers accessed company data for three days, and it’s unclear why Northwood waited more than two months to notify the public. In response, all employee passwords were reset, and Northwood encouraged employees to be vigilant about identifying suspicious emails. In addition, the company is upgrading its email security to try and prevent suspicious emails from reaching employees’ inboxes.

Individual Risk: 2= Severe: The hacked email account contained sensitive client data and personally identifiable information. This includes names, dates of birth, dates of service, provider names, medical record numbers, patient identification numbers, and other health-related information. In addition, some clients had their Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and health insurance information exposed. Northwood cannot confirm if this information was viewed or accessed by hackers, so those impacted by the breach need to be especially vigilant about monitoring their accounts for suspicious activity. Moreover, they should acquire identity and credit monitoring services to ensure the long-term integrity of their data.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: In today’s interconnected digital environment, small mistakes can have catastrophic consequences. In this case, a single email gave bad actors expansive access to people’s sensitive data. While Northwood is taking all the right steps to recover from the breach, companies that truly prioritize data security will take these actions before a breach occurs, which will not only help protect critical information, but it will save companies the incredible expense and reputational cost associated with a data breach.

Syracuse City School District: Public school district based in Syracuse, New York

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 2 = Severe: Ransomware brought services to a stop at the Syracuse City School District. The attack prevented the district from accessing their systems, and the malware spread to the city’s library system, which is now similarly hamstrung. While the district used backups to restore some services, including payroll, human relations, and student management, many of its online infrastructure remains inaccessible. What’s more, the district is embroiled in a debate about the best approach to recover their network as their insurance provider encourages them to pay the ransom and law enforcement agencies suggest that they refrain from making a payment. Regardless of the eventual approach, the district expects to incur six-figure losses from the incident.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: The incident at Syracuse City School District illuminates a fierce debate about the most advantageous response to a ransomware attack. Many see paying the ransom as the fastest and most affordable way to recover crucial IT infrastructure. However, responding to ransom demands can incentivize bad behavior, making it more likely that these attacks will continue to wreak havoc on organizations and municipalities around the world. Therefore, it’s important to remember that the best response plan is based around a robust defense that includes identifying network vulnerabilities before an attack occurs.

Adirondack Health: Full-service healthcare provider serving patients in the Adirondack region of New York

Exploit: Unauthorized email account access

Risk to Small Business: 1.555= Severe: In March 2019, a remote hacker gained access to an employee’s email account that contained copious amounts of personal data. Although only one email contained patients’ personally identifiable information, it included an attachment for a “gap-in-care” analysis spreadsheet that provided hackers with access to a deluge of patient data. HIPAA guidelines mandate that companies report a data breach within 60 days, so it’s unclear why the company waited longer to notify the agency. In addition to the PR disaster that always accompanies a data breach, Adirondack Health could face fines and penalties because of their slow response time.

Individual Risk: 2.142= Severe: A significant amount of personal information was compromised in this breach, including names, treatment data, health insurance information, and dates of birth. Because this information is frequently sold on the Dark Web, those impacted by the breach should carefully monitor their accounts for suspicious activity. Moreover, identity and credit monitoring services can help ensure that credentials remain secure.

Customers Impacted: 25,000

How it Could Affect Your Business: Small mistakes can have catastrophic consequences for personal data. In this case, brief access to a single email account provided hackers with just one document that compromised data integrity for thousands of people. While companies should take every measure possible to protect their data before a breach, understanding what happens to people’s information after it’s compromised is an important step in the recovery process.

WMNF 88.5 FM: Tampa-based community radio station

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 1.777 = Severe: A ransomware attack on WMNF 88.5 FM forced the station to stop its live broadcasts, leaving listeners with pre-recorded shows instead. The attack also impacted their AudioVault system that includes much of the station’s programming, including advertising material that constitutes a significant share of their revenue. In addition, ransomware restricted access to office files and forms. However, rather than paying the ransom, the station reported the incident to authorities and brought in a cybersecurity contractor to restore their files. Of course, these services alongside the opportunity cost incurred when the station’s material wasn’t accessible will still be an expensive solution for the local radio station.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Even without paying a ransom demand, recovering from a ransomware attack is extremely expensive. Therefore, every organization needs to take every precaution possible to prevent these attacks in the first place. This certainly includes analyzing IT infrastructure for vulnerabilities, but it should also mean attaining the services necessary to know if your employee’s credentials are for sale on the Dark Web where they can be used to facilitate a ransomware attack.

Wise Health System: Medical provider serving patients in Decatur, Texas

Exploit: Phishing attack

Risk to Small Business: 2 = Severe: On March 14th, several employees fell for a phishing scam and entered their usernames and passwords on a false form. Hackers used this information to access an employee kiosk where they attempted to divert payroll deposits. IT administrators don’t believe that the hackers pursued patient data, but this information was included in the compromised accounts. Now, Wise Help System is responsible for providing a year of identity theft protection services to thousands of victims while also facing increased regulatory scrutiny because of their failure to report the incident within 60 days.

Individual Risk: 2.482 = Severe: In addition to the employee account details compromised in the breach, patient data was available to hackers. This includes patients’ medical record numbers, diagnosis, treatment information, and insurance data. Therefore, patients should monitor their accounts for unusual activity while also taking advantage of the identity theft monitoring services offered by Wise Health System.

Customers Impacted: 35,899

How it Could Affect Your Business: Phishing attacks are entirely preventable because they rely on employee ignorance and indifference to perpetuate data theft. However, with the right training, employees can be trained to spot phishing scams, effectively rendering them useless. It’s a cost-effective way to mitigate a serious risk to any company’s data security initiatives.

The Town of Collierville: Town in Shelby County, Tennessee

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 1.777 = Severe: In an extensive attack that cut-off computer access for more than 550 government employees, attackers infected the Town of Collierville’s computer network with Ryuk ransomware. The malware made some computer systems unusable and encrypted other files, restricting the government’s access to the information. Consequently, government employees are unable to complete many tasks, including permit requests, public record requisitions, and business services. Fortunately, the town’s emergency services were not impacted by the attack. The city is enacting its response plan, but they have a long road to fully restoring operations.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware attacks are a top cybersecurity threat for local governments, making a holistic response plan a must-have element to any government’s IT strategy. Fortunately, the Town of Collierville prepared for this scenario, which allowed them to avoid paying the ransom. Regardless, full recovery is still an arduous process, which means that any measures that can help prevent a ransomware attack should be a top priority for local governments looking to avoid being the next victim of a ransomware attack.

In Other News:

Australian Consumers Demand Data Security…

According to a recent survey of Australian consumers, confidence in a company’s data security impacts their spending with that platform. The survey, which comprised of 2,000 consumers, found that 74% of Australians are less inclined to spend money with companies that cannot or will not secure their customers’ personal information. With increasing instances of financial fraud and data theft, who could blame them?

Local mayors are tired of paying the price for these attacks, and they codified this sentiment in a nonbinding, unanimous resolution at this year’s meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors where they vowed not to pay any more ransom demands.

To date, 34% of Australians experienced data loss from a company’s security breach or hack, and those numbers increase for younger generations that are more likely to participate in today’s expansive digital ecosystem.

Unfortunately, the retail sector and small businesses polled as the least trusted vendors, meaning that companies hoping to win customers need to make data security an integral part of their business strategy. Increasing the impetus to get this right from day one, 43% of consumers indicated that they would never return to a brand that compromised their data security.

Therefore, it’s clear that the need to identify vulnerabilities and to account for data security is more than just an altruistic endeavor. It’s mission critical for flourishing businesses in today’s increasingly digital economy. Don’t let this issue go overlooked.

With companies like Kobargo equipped to fortify your cybersecurity defenses, now is the perfect time to prepare your company for today’s evolving threat landscape.

A Note From Kobargo..800,000 Computers Still Vulnerable to “BlueKeep”…

Despite the well-publicized threat that the BlueKeep vulnerability poses to individuals and enterprises, more than 800,000 systems are still not protected from the threat.

BlueKeep is a backdoor that allows hackers to access networks where they can directly deliver malware. The flaw can cause significant damage, and neutralizing the threat is surprising easy. A simple software update, which Microsoft issued in May, nullifies the vulnerability, but according to data compiled by a New Internet scan, less than 20% of eligible systems were updated in the past month.

With cyber threats coming from all directions, fixing security

vulnerabilities through software updates is an easy way to prevent obvious threats from wreaking havoc on your company’s IT infrastructure. Partnering with security specialists can help organizations identify vulnerabilities, fortifying their defenses before a data breach occurs.

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST VIDEO ON “PASSWORD PROTECTION” AVAILABLE NOW!

Contact Kobargo Technology Partners to schedule a free consultation today !

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Data Breach, Cyber Alert Monday: Last week, hackers send a message to government agencies, employee errors compromise thousands of people’s data…

LAST WEEK’S HACKS, ATTACKS, DATA BREACHES AND MORE…

Northwood, Inc: Provider of medical equipment, prosthetics, and supplies

Exploit: Unauthorized email account access

Customers Impacted: Unknown

Syracuse City School District: Public school district based in Syracuse, New York

Exploit: Ransomware

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

Adirondack Health: Full-service healthcare provider serving patients in the Adirondack region of New York

Exploit: Unauthorized email account access

Customers Impacted: 25,000

WMNF 88.5 FM: Tampa-based community radio station

Exploit: Ransomware

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

Wise Health System: Medical provider serving patients in Decatur, Texas

Exploit: Phishing attack

Customers Impacted: 35,899

The Town of Collierville: Town in Shelby County, Tennessee

Exploit: Ransomware

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

In Other News:

Australian Consumers Demand Data Security…

With companies like Kobargo equipped to fortify your cybersecurity defenses, now is the perfect time to prepare your company for today’s evolving threat landscape.

A Note From Kobargo..

800,000 Computers Still Vulnerable to “BlueKeep”…

Despite the well-publicized threat that the BlueKeep vulnerability poses to individuals and enterprises, more than 800,000 systems are still not protected from the threat.

With cyber threats coming from all directions, fixing security

Check Out Our Latest Video On “Password Protection” Available Now!

Contact Kobargo Technology Partners to schedule a free consultation today !

The best online JS tools can be found at HTML-CSS-JS.com: script beautifier, compressor, cheat sheet or just read the blog.

Data Breach, Cyber Alert Monday: Last week, ransomware stops the music at a local radio station, employees fall for phishing scams, and U.S. mayors promise not to pay any more ransom demands..

LAST WEEK’S HACKS, ATTACKS, DATA BREACHES AND MORE…

Los Angeles County Department of Health: Government agency responsible for overseeing health initiatives in Los Angeles County

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 2.285= Severe: On March 28th, an employee at a third-party contractor opened a phishing email that gave hackers access to the company’s data, which included personally identifiable information from the Los Angeles Department of Health. Although the data was encrypted, the email account also contained the encryption keys, which functionally nullified this security feature. As the second-largest health system in the United States, the agency oversees many clinics and hospitals that could be impacted by this attack. Now, the Los Angeles County Department of Health is tasked with reinforcing its cybersecurity standards while they support their constituents who were harmed in the attack.

Individual Risk: 2.285= Severe: The data breach exposed sensitive patient information, including names, addresses, dates of birth, medical record numbers, and Medi-Cal identification numbers. In addition, two patients had their Social Security numbers compromised. Although patients were not the target of the attack and authorities haven’t found evidence that their information is being misused, personally identifiable information can quickly make its way to the Dark Web where it can be used to perpetrate financial and identity crimes. Therefore, those impacted by the breach should enroll in the provided credit and identity monitoring services to ensure their data’s continued integrity.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Phishing attacks are an easy way for hackers to circumvent security standards by relying on employee ignorance and indifference to gain access to sensitive computer networks. Every organization can defend against these attacks by conducting awareness training with their employees. By equipping employees to identify and report phishing emails, organizations can effectively render these attacks ineffective.

La Porte County Government : Local government serving La Porte, Indiana

Exploit: Phishing attack

Risk to Small Business: 2.111 = Severe: A malware attack on the government’s IT infrastructure rendered more than half of their servers unusable. The attack, which delivered a ransomware virus, cut off access to the county’s website, email accounts, and other services. The remaining servers were taken offline to prevent malware from spreading further. The county purchased ransomware insurance last year, which will help offset the repair costs, but officials expect in order to fully recovery it will come at a significant expense.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware attacks on government agencies and institutions are on the rise, making a response plan a must-have element of any cybersecurity initiative. La Porte officials demonstrated many benefits of these plans, including rapid response capabilities, clear communication channels, and proper insurance to reduce the expense of an attack. Of course, surveying your organization’s IT infrastructure should be a top priority as well, since it can prevent an attack before it occurs.

Essentia Health: Integrated healthcare system offering services in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Idaho

Exploit: Phishing attack

Risk to Small Business: 2= Severe: A vendor providing billing services for the healthcare provider was the victim of a phishing scam that consequently compromised patient data at Essentia Health. The healthcare provider is investigating the incident and the integrity of other third-party vendor systems. In today’s digital landscape, verifiable data security standards are a must have for any partnership that involves personally identifiable information.

Individual Risk: 2.428= Severe: Essentia notified those impacted by the breach, but they have not identified any attempted misuse of patient data. Even so, once sensitive personal information is accessed, it can quickly become accessible on the Dark Web, so those affected will need ongoing credit and identity monitoring services to ensure their data’s integrity.

Customers Impacted: 1,000

How it Could Affect Your Business: Data breaches that expose people’s personal information can have devastating consequences for both the company and the victims. The most advantageous road to recovery starts with ensuring that victims have the support necessary to adequately recover from the incident. This includes identifying the cause and scope of a breach as well as providing the credit and identity monitoring services that offer rapid detection of data misuse.

Monroe College: Private for-profit college and graduate school based in New York City

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 1.888 = Severe: The college endured a ransomware attack that disabled network services at its three campuses. The perpetrators issued a demand for $2 million in Bitcoin to release the encrypted files that likely include most of their critical data for executing business and educational activities. While classes remain in session, all of the school’s email and website-based activities are inaccessible. Monroe College outsources its payroll, which preserved those services during the attack. Unfortunately, the school now has to decide between paying the exorbitant ransom and incurring the considerable cost of recovering network systems. Either way, it will be an expensive recovery process for Monroe College.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Monroe College is just the latest in a series of academic institutions impacted by a ransomware attack. These attacks significantly curtail their operations while costing precious funds that are earmarked for academics. Therefore, it’s imperative to understand potential vulnerabilities before such an attack occurs. Given the high expense of recovery, the slew of negative press, and the opportunity cost associated with a ransomware attack, the relatively affordable cost of examining network vulnerabilities and compromised credentials is a bargain.

Richmond Heights City Hall : Local government offices for Richmond Heights, Ohio

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 2.111 = Severe: When an employee opened a phishing email, it unleashed ransomware that disrupted City Hall’s IT infrastructure. The malware encrypted the employee’s files and displayed a ransom note on the screen that demanded payment in Bitcoin to restore services. While the ransomware disabled the city’s computers and servers, their email and internet services were not impacted in the attack. Fortunately, the city-maintained backups that allowed them to restore their files without paying the ransom.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware can have catastrophic consequences for any organization, but this incident is a reminder that they are often initiated by subtle mistakes. In this case, a single phishing email could have compromised the IT infrastructure for an entire city government. Maintaining adequate backup services and other restorative processes are critical to recovering from a ransomware attack but protecting against the methods that are frequently used to deploy these attacks is equally important.

KHSU Radio Station: Radio station owned by Humboldt State University

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 2.333 = Severe: Hackers exploited a network vulnerability to deliver ransomware to KHSU’s programming systems and storage servers. Fortunately, the affected servers did not contain any sensitive data, but the attack disrupted the station’s programming, which went offline on July 1st. The hackers are demanding a ransomware to restore the systems, but an actual amount hasn’t been specified. Until services are restored, the station’s listeners will continue to be without programming.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: The opportunity cost associated with a ransomware attack can be just as damaging as the immediate recovery cost. In this case, listeners are without the station’s regular programming, which will drive them to other stations. To make matters worse, the attack was issued using an avoidable network vulnerability. When it comes to avoiding a ransomware attack, the best offense is a strong defense. Prioritize a thorough review of your network infrastructure and repair any vulnerabilities before hackers exploit them for their own gain.

In Other News:

U.S. Mayors Unite Against Ransomware Payments..

2019 has seen a significant uptick in the number of ransomware attacks on local governments. High profile attacks on cities in Florida and Maryland attracted most of the mainstream media attention, but, to date, 22 municipalities were the victim of a ransomware attack in the first half of the year.

Noting that ransom payments provide a financial incentive for additional perpetrators to proliferate these attacks, conference members are committed to disincentivizing this behavior in an attempt to abate this troubling trend.

The conference is comprised of 1,400 mayors from various U.S. cities with populations of over 30,000, and, while there is no mandate that members must follow this resolution, it provides political and legal cover for mayors to refuse ransom payments.

In some cases, not paying a ransom can be considerably more expensive, and it can take longer to recover affected systems.

It also raises the stakes in the fight against ransomware, and local municipalities will need to do everything they can to fortify their IT infrastructure against the many access points for ransomware. Partnering with us can help your organization identify its most prescient vulnerabilities to ensure that they can avoid the decision to pay a ransom altogether.

A Note From Kobargo..

Ransomware Attacks Target Network Attached Storage Devices.. According to recent findings by cybersecurity researchers, a new form of ransomware dubbed eChoraix, is being used to attack network attached storage (NAS) devices.

The malware specifically targets QNAP NAS devices, which are used around the world. These devices are already connected to the internet, and hackers use brute-force attacks to expose weak login credentials to gain access to the device.

These devices frequently store critical system backups and other sensitive information, but they often don’t come with the sophisticated security features that accompany built-in computer storage.

Much like the delivery method, the malware’s source code is simple, consisting of less than 400 lines. Unfortunately, this simplistic attack can still cause serious damage to users’ data, as they will be forced to either pay a ransom to recover the backups or to rely on other storage units to provide these services.

QNAP has issued a patch for these vulnerabilities, but, more broadly, every organization needs to be aware of the rapidly shifting landscape for today’s ransomware attacks that are becoming stealthier and more damaging. Cybersecurity services can help you navigate this landscape by transforming your vulnerabilities into your greatest asset in a robust cyber defense.

For More Info On “Password Protection” Stay Tuned For Our Latest Video. Coming Soon!

Contact Kobargo Technology Partners to schedule a free consultation today !

The best online JS tools can be found at HTML-CSS-JS.com: script beautifier, compressor, cheat sheet or just read the blog.

Data Breach, Cyber Alert Monday: Last week, ransomware affects organizations of all shapes and sizes, US Virgin Islands Police Department attacked..

LAST WEEK’S HACKS, ATTACKS, DATA BREACHES AND MORE…

Georgia’s Administrative Office of the Courts and Judicial Council of Georgia: Digital information arm for the Georgia state court system

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 2.333= Severe: A malware attack infected the agency’s computer network with ransomware, encrypting their files and disrupting many of their services. Officials have yet to reveal the ransom amount, but it marks the second significant ransomware attack for a Georgian government agency in 15 months. Fortunately, the agency does not store personal information on the affected network, and servers were brought offline to prevent malware from spreading. The previous attack in 2018 cost $7.2 million, foreshadowing another expensive blow that can be measured in time and money.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware attacks wreak havoc on an organization’s operational and financial integrity. To make matters worse, they are increasingly becoming more common and costly. Nevertheless, many ransomware attacks are delivered through phishing emails, which can be thwarted through organizational cyber-security training for employees. Given the exceedingly high recovery expense and cascading damages caused by a ransomware attack, such training is the most cost-effective way of protecting

Alive Hospice: Healthcare provider offering hospice and family support services

Exploit: Unauthorized network access attack

Risk to Small Business: 2 = Severe: On May 6th, hackers gained access to an employee’s email account containing personally identifiable information for patients at Alive Hospice. Although the company quickly reset the account password, the intruder was able to view significant amounts of sensitive data. In this case, a single email account was able to compromise newsworthy amounts of patient data, while also interrupting business processes. Alive Hospice will incur the expense of credit and identity monitoring services, along with the less quantifiable reputational cost that accompanies a data breach.

Individual Risk: 2 = Severe: Although there is no indication that hackers have misused any company data, they did have access to patients’ names, contact information, dates of birth, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, credit/debit card numbers, medical history information, treatment and prescription information, physician information, medical record number, Medicaid/Medicare numbers, health insurance information, and other in-house account details. Therefore, those impacted by the breach should enroll in the free credit and identity monitoring services being offered by Alive Hospice while remaining vigilant about monitoring their accounts for suspicious activity.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Personally identifiable information (PII) can quickly make its way to the Dark Web, where it can do considerable damage to those affected by a breach. Therefore, understanding what happens to compromised patient data is a significant part of any data breach recovery effort.

US Virgin Islands Police Department: Law enforcement agency serving the United States Virgin Islands

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 1.666- Severe: An April ransomware attack on the island’s police computer network encrypted all files stored on the department’s servers. The impacted data included information related to internal affairs and citizen complaints, and the “Blue Team” and “IAPRO” programs were unavailable for several weeks. In addition, backups for some systems were also corrupted, requiring the department to install new versions of the affected software. Not only is the department struggling to provide services to its constituents, but it will also face a significant repair cost that is growing by the day. .

Individual Risk: 2.571= Severe: Hackers did encrypt information related to citizen complaints, which could include sensitive personal information. However, there is no indication that this information was viewed or stolen during the ransomware attack.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: The true price tag on a data breach can be deceptive, as recovery costs must be added to the opportunity cost of interrupted business processes and reputational damages. Organizations must be capable of knowing if personal information is accessed in an attack and need internal protocols to protect infrastructure and mitigate damage as much as possible.

Maryland Department of Labor: Local government agency serving the state of Maryland

Exploit: Unauthorized database access

Risk to Small Business: 2.222 = Severe: Hackers gained access to two agency databases that contained personally identifiable information. The breach, which occurred in April, involved data from those who received unemployment benefits in 2012 or pursued a general equivalency diploma in 2009, 2010, or 2014. It’s unclear why the agency waited several months to notify those impacted by the breach, but this cybersecurity incident underscores a troubling trend in government agencies in general and Maryland in particular. The agency will now be responsible for paying victims for two years of credit monitoring services, while also spending precious funds on recovery efforts.

Individual Risk: A damage assessment conducted by a third-party forensics team concluded that no personal information was downloaded in the attack. However, hackers did have access to a deluge of personal data, including names, social security numbers, birth dates, city or county of residence, graduation dates, and record numbers. Those impacted by the breach are encouraged to closely monitor their credentials and to enroll in the credit monitoring services being offered by the agency.

Customers Impacted: 78,000

How it Could Affect Your Business: It’s no secret that data breaches, especially those that compromise sensitive personal information, are always harmful. However, organizations can work to repair the damage by supporting those impacted with protection. By continuously monitoring the Dark Web, where stolen credentials are quickly bought and sold, businesses can grow and retain their customer base while generating loyalty.

Mercy Health: Catholic healthcare ministry serving Ohio and Kentucky

Exploit: Email security breach

Risk to Small Business: 2 = Severe: A compromised email account at a third-party vendor in 2018 ultimately resulted in compromised personal information for Mercy Health patients. The third-party vendor, OS Inc., was involved in a similar data breach last year and was responsible for updating information for Medicare beneficiaries and billing for certain services. The incident reflects the complicated cyber-security threats facing institutions working with third parties, specifically as it relates to managing personally identifiable information.

Individual Risk: 2.285 = Severe: Hackers did not gain access to financial or medical information, but they were able to view significant amounts of personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, dates of service, patient identification numbers, Social Security numbers, and medical record numbers.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Working with contractors and third parties is often a requirement in today’s digital ecosystem. However, those partnerships can create vulnerabilities that organizations need to address before allowing third parties to access their data. Therefore, robust cybersecurity protocols should be a prerequisite for any business relationship that includes that exchange of sensitive personal information.

American Land Title Company (ALTA): National trade association representing various real estate entities

Exploit: Phishing scam

Risk to Small Business: 1.888 = Severe: A so-called ethical hacker contacted ALTA regarding 600 data entries accessed by its members using a phishing campaign. The compromised data may have included highly sensitive company data from ALTA organizations. This is the second phishing scam targeting ALTA members this year when a similar scam that originated within the organization was sent to member companies.

Individual Risk: 2.285 = Severe: While the data accessed pertains to the companies involved, it could also include personal information, including domain identification, IP addresses, usernames, and passwords. ALTA organizations should encourage employees to monitor their accounts for suspicious activity and to ensure that they use unique, strong passwords for all accounts, especially those containing personally identifiable information.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Phishing scams are unleashed with speed and precision, and they can quickly compromise your organization’s data. Fortunately, they are also entirely defensible with comprehensive awareness training. Knowing if your organization’s credentials are compromised before a data breach occurs can prevent a security incident before it harms your company and your customers.

In Other News:

Company Cut Off from Government Contracts After Data Breach

Last month, Perceptics, a maker of license plate readers used by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CPB), endured a significant data breach that resulted in 65,000 files published to the Dark Web.

As a result, the company has been placed on a veritable government black-list, suspending Perceptics from procuring government contracts. Although the suspension is technically limited to the CPB, the notice, which cites “evidence of conduct indicating a lack of business honesty or integrity,” could shun the company from doing business with other government agencies.

Before the suspension, Perceptics had a 30-year working relationship with CPB, and their dissolution indicates the weight of unimpeachable cybersecurity standards for companies handling sensitive personal information on behalf of the government.

What’s more, Perceptics will still face administrative proceedings that will determine the company’s fate as it pertains to future work with the U.S. Government.

The incident is a warning to all companies: cyber-security is an obligation, not just a suggestion. Data breaches place people’s data at risk but are increasingly becoming capable of compromising an organization’s financial stability. Rather than leaving it up to chance, coordinate with Kobargo to ensure that your cyber-security posture is ready to meet the moment.

A Note From Kobargo..

A Divide in Ransomware Response Ethics Local governments and municipalities are frequently targeted with ransomware attacks by cyber criminals who view government agencies as soft targets with potentially significant rewards. While leaders are unified in their abhorrence of this behavior, disparities exist when aligning on response plans.
Some governments choose to pay the ransom, seeing it as the least expensive option available. Of course, this behavior makes other governments more vulnerable to a similar attack because it indicates that authorities are willing to pay criminals to restore access to their systems. In contrast, some local governments refuse to pay, a principled stance that can be more expensive in the long run. For instance, Baltimore authorities refused to pay a $75,000 ransom to regain access to its network, but full system restoration is estimated to cost $10 million, and other ancillary disruptions may cost $8 million more. The message is clear and simple: all organizations need to do everything they can to prevent a ransomware attack in the first place. Contingency plans like backups and cyber insurance are critical for responding to an attack, but employee awareness training and threat analysis services offered by cyber-security experts can prevent ransomware attacks before placing your company in the precarious position of deciding on ransom payments.

For More Info On “Password Protection” Stay Tuned For Our Latest Video. Coming Soon!

Contact Kobargo Technology Partners to schedule a free consultation today !

The best online JS tools can be found at HTML-CSS-JS.com: script beautifier, compressor, cheat sheet or just read the blog.

Data Breach, Cyber Alert Monday: Last week, a U.S healthcare insurer discovers data breach after almost a decade..

LAST WEEK’S HACKS, ATTACKS, DATA BREACHES AND MORE…

Borough of Westwood: Local government organization serving Bergen County, New Jersey

Exploit: Malware attack

Risk to Small Business: 2.222= Severe: Unusual network activity in December 2018 alerted county officials that hackers gained access to the county’s network. These bad actors introduced malware into their system, which placed the personal data of residents at risk. Although the county is confident that information on the network hasn’t been viewed, accessed, or downloaded by hackers, they obtained third-party cyber-security services to assess the damage and remove the malware from their system. However, it’s unclear why county officials waited six months to notify the public of the incident.

Individual Risk: 2.222= Severe: Authorities are confident that personal information has not been viewed in this attack. However, the network did store personally identifiable information, including names, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and bank account details. The county is in the process of notifying people who could be impacted by the breach, but anyone who provided data to the county’s website should be vigilant about monitoring and reviewing their account statements for suspicious activity.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: As news headlines continually demonstrate, local governments are becoming a top target for hackers and cybercriminals. Therefore, it’s critical that these institutions make every effort to secure their IT infrastructure before a cybersecurity incident occurs. In this case, a six-month delay in reporting the data breach would make it difficult for victims to identify data misuse, meaning that the lack of damages resembles more of a stroke of luck than an intentional strategy. Instead of relying on good will, organizations must establish a strong defensive posture that prevents a data breach from occurring in the first place.

Franciscan Health: Healthcare system offering services in Indiana and Illinois

Exploit: Unauthorized network access attack

Risk to Small Business: 1.777 = Severe:A rogue employee accessed extensive medical records pertaining to physicians, diagnosis, lab results, medications, and other treatment-related information. Although the employee worked in the company’s quality research department, he had no business-related reason for accessing this private health data. Fortunately, the company quickly identified the privacy breach and took action against the employee. However, they will now have to contend with the cost of providing identity theft protection services to those impacted by the breach, along with the less quantifiable reputational losses that accompany a data breach.

Individual Risk: 1.8571 = Severe: Currently, there is no indication that the rogue employee downloaded or shared any personally identifiable information. However, the employee did have access to sensitive data, including patients’ names, email addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, gender, race, partial social security numbers, and medical record numbers. Those impacted by the breach should review and monitor their financial accounts and their benefits statements for suspicious activity.

Customers Impacted: 2,200

How it Could Affect Your Business: A company’s workforce can be one of the most significant sources of cyber-security risk, but any organization has the ability to transform their staff into the strong defense against a data breach. With the right awareness training, employees can learn to spot cyber-security threats proactively by learning industry-wide best practices. As the costs associated with data breaches continue to grow incredibly steep, such training is becoming a relative bargain.

City Of Sun Prairie: Local government municipality serving Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Exploit: Employee email account breach

Risk to Small Business: 2 = Severe: When hackers gained access to employee accounts for nearly three months, they were able to view personal information about the city’s residents. Even though the city hired a third-party forensics firm to investigate the matter, they were unable to determine what information was captured in the breach. The lengthy communications delay and uncertainty surrounding the data accessed reveals that the government agency was fundamentally unprepared for a cyber attack. Although the city is now taking steps to update their cybersecurity protocols in the wake of this data breach, a clear opportunity was missed to secure their network before it was infiltrated by bad actors.

Individual Risk: 1.857 = Severe: Since The compromised email accounts contained personally identifiable information for residents of Sun Prairie, including social security numbers, account login ID and passwords, driver’s license and state identification numbers, bank account numbers, medical information, and payment card information. City officials are unable to identify specific accounts that were accessed, which means that anyone doing business with Sun Prairie should obtain credit and identity monitoring services to ensure that their personal information is safe.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: Hackers have many ways to access employee email accounts, but organizations can take steps to prevent some of these methods from being successful. For instance, proper training about phishing attacks can stop many bad actors in their tracks. At the same time, knowing if your employees’ email accounts are compromised can help sidestep breaches from happening in the first place.

Marin Community Clinics: Multi-clinic network providing primary and specialty care services

Exploit: Ransomware

Risk to Small Business: 1.777 = Severe: A ransomware virus encrypted the healthcare provider’s computer systems, significantly curtailing their operations. Based on the advice of their software provider, the company paid the ransom to recover their files. The organization is continuing to restore files from backups, and they expect to lose some patient data in the process. In the meantime, Marin Community Clinics are using paper records to continue providing care until the network can be restored.

Individual Risk: No personal information was compromised in the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: In today’s digital environment, every organization must have a ransomware preparedness plan that considers the current and future state of the company’s IT infrastructure. In the case of Marin County Clinics, an associated healthcare provider was also victimized by ransomware, and they also paid to recover their files. Considering the ongoing debate among cyber-security experts about the efficacy of paying a ransomware, it could make the company more vulnerable to additional attacks. Of course, the first step to any ransomware preparedness plan is a strong defensive position. Since malware is often delivered through phishing emails, robust employee training can position any organization or agency to repel at attack.

PCM: Direct marketing company offering technology products and services

Exploit: Unauthorized email and network access

Risk to Small Business: 1.888 = Severe: Using stolen administrative credentials for PCM’s Office 365 client accounts, hackers gained access to client data. It’s speculated that hackers intended to use this information to conduct gift card fraud. Upon discovering the breach, PCM closed off access to these accounts, limiting the reach of the intrusion. Despite the relatively minor scope of the data breach, recovering from a cyber-security incident is no small matter. The company will now need to bear the cost of auditing their IT infrastructure as they work to repair the reputational damage that accompanies such an event.

Individual Risk: 2 = Severe: It’s believed that hackers were pursuing information usable to perpetrate gift card scams, which could include stealing personal information. The company has notified those impacted by the breach, and these individuals should be especially vigilant about monitoring their accounts for unusual activity.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: In many ways, PCM got lucky. Although hackers were mostly unsuccessful at obtaining client data, they were able to access systems with a trove of valuable information. Additionally, they were able to accomplish this by simply obtaining administrator credentials, which can be widely available on the Dark Web or through phishing scams. Knowing if this information is available is a critical and often overlooked component of any company’s security posture.

Summa Health: Non-profit healthcare system serving Northeast Ohio

Exploit: Phishing scam

Risk to Small Business: 1.667 = Severe: When employees opened a phishing email and entered credentials into a false form, hackers gained access to protected health information. The healthcare provider disclosed two breaches, one occurring in August 2018 and another in March 2019. It’s unclear why the company didn’t become aware of the breach until May 1st, or why it took almost a month to notify victims of the breach. Their slow response could make it more difficult for victims to identify instances of identity or financial fraud, and also shines a spotlight on the healthcare provider’s data security standards.

Individual Risk: 1.857 = Severe: Hackers accessed significant amounts of personally identifiable information in the breach, including names, dates of birth, medical records, patient account numbers, treatment information, health insurance information, social security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. Those impacted by the breach are encouraged to enroll in credit and identity monitoring services. In addition, they should carefully and continually review their account information, reporting any unusual activity and unauthorized changes as soon as possible.

Customers Impacted: 500

How it Could Affect Your Business: Phishing scams are entirely preventable, and any organization handling personally identifiable information needs to ensure that their employees are equipped to identify and report these increasingly prevalent threats. Exposed personal details usually find their way to the Dark Web, where bad actors can leverage them for a variety of nefarious purposes. It’s critical that companies are prepared with cyber-security awareness and identity protection.

Dominion National: Health insurer providing dental and vision benefits

Exploit: Unauthorized network access

Risk to Small Business: 1.333 = Extreme: An internal notification alerted company officials of a data breach that occurred in 2010. When hackers breached the insurance provider’s network, they gained access to the sensitive information of beneficiaries. In response, the company cleaned its servers to eradicate any unauthorized users from the platform. While it’s common for data breaches to go undetected, ten years is certainly a long time to recognize a vulnerability. As a result, Dominion National will face increased media scrutiny over its cybersecurity capabilities, along with the high cost of updating their security standards and helping their customers recover from the incident.

Individual Risk: 1.857 = Severe: Although the company hasn’t released specifics on the scope of the incident, the unusual exposure length makes it possible for the damage to be extensive. Those impacted may have had their names, addresses, dates of birth, email addresses, social security numbers, taxpayer IDs, bank details, and other insurance-related details compromised. Dominion National has offered identity monitoring and recovery services to those impacted by the breach.

Customers Impacted: Unknown

How it Could Affect Your Business: A data breach is an embarrassing and costly episode for any company, especially when it takes nearly a decade to discover the incident. The first step to recovery is supporting those impacted by the breach, which certainly includes helping them verify the integrity of their information. By addressing their customers first, organizations begin rebuilding their tarnished reputation at a time when they will already incur ancillary expenses that stem from a cyber-security incident.

In Other News:

Internet Scams Have Cost Australians Millions..

Just halfway through 2019, Australians have already lost more than $6 million to internet scams, marking a 33% year-over-year increase.

The report by Scamwatch, an agency run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, reveals that scams intending to attain people’s personal information are becoming more effective and more lucrative.

Australians have lost $2.3 million more in 2019 compared to last year, and the number of reported scams remained relatively steady. What’s more, 4.1% of reported scams resulted in financial loss.

Although phishing scams received the most complaints – nearly 10,000 – they resulted in the lowest amount of loss among the various scam iterations, which reflects both the rapid rate of phishing scams and peoples’ ability to defend themselves against these attacks.

At the same time, it’s evident that more training is required in order to effectively ward off these adaptive and continual threats.

A Note From Kobargo..

Awareness Tops Readiness in UK Cyber-security Preparedness..

UK organizations are well-aware of their cyber-security threat landscape. Unfortunately, that has not enhanced their ability to improve their defensive posture. According to a recent survey, only 42% of organizations are confident in their data security, 10% fewer than companies in other countries.

While 90% of survey respondents indicated that adopting cyber-security best practices is more important than increasing profits, less than 60% of these companies have a formal security policy, a number that has not changed since last year.

Indifference may not be the only factor in their lack of preparation. Many companies cite budgetary and personnel constraints as a significant barrier to improving cyber-security posture.

Even so, the cost of a data breach is more expensive than ever before. The survey found that organizations will dedicate 12% of their revenue to recovering from a data breach, an all-time high. With companies like ours equipped to fortify your cyber-security defenses, now is the perfect time to prepare your company for today’s evolving threat landscape.

For More Info, Check Out Our Latest Video On Security Awareness Training, Available Today!

Contact Kobargo Technology Partners to schedule a free consultation today !

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