The latest massive cyberattack to hit the globe is evidence of how hackers are upping the ante, says Martin Walshaw, senior engineer at F5 Networks.
(pixabay.com)
Another major cyberattack named Petya has been wreaking havoc across the world, highlighting the need for greater focus on cybersecurity education.
The cyberattack originated in the Ukraine going on to cause major disruption across the globe. It has hit major infrastructure in the areas where it has spread, with security experts speculating that it might be functioning in a similar manner to the infamous ‘Wannacry’ attack.
This latest wave of what looks to be ransomware is just another example of the real-world threats encountered by organisations, governments and countries all over the world. These attacks are upping the ante, as they hit services that affect people’s day-to-day activity; such as healthcare, postal services, and transport services. While the reported ransom demands of $300 to release the encrypted data seems low, this will scale up very quickly. The more concerning issue is how national infrastructure is being impacted. There is no easy solution to eradicate ransomware, but when the dust settles, the source of the compromises needs to be determined and remediated.
Going into the new world of IoT and connected devices, with every element focusing on the application, the digital attack surface area will continue to grow. This gives the attackers more opportunities to infiltrate data. More focus needs to be put on the application and data security. In addition, more cyber security education should be integral in everybody’s daily lives.
By Martin Walshaw