NetworkTigers on why no one is safe from hackers.
With cybersecurity concerns continuing to grow alongside the risks associated with failing to secure networks, servers, accounts, and endpoints adequately, it’s essential to understand that hackers have no favorites, and no organization of any size in any sector should assume to be under the radar or off limits for cybercrime opportunists.
From the healthcare industry and government agencies to the smallest businesses and individuals, hackers, scammers, and phishers leave no stone unturned in their endless search for vulnerabilities and opportunities.
To put it plainly, no one is safe from hackers.
The healthcare industry isn’t safe from hackers
Healthcare industry hacks are some of the most troubling,g and many in the cybersecurity field recall a time when attacks against hospitals and other such facilities were beyond the pale, even for most criminals.
From breaching a provider’s network to steal and sell the personal health data of potentially thousands of patients to subjecting oncology departments to system shutdowns that prevent those in need from receiving care, attacks against the medical sector reveal that there is no moral compass governing today’s cybercriminals.
The time-sensitive and critical nature of hacks that create obstacles between patients and potentially lifesaving procedures makes cyberattacks of this nature all the more enticing for unscrupulous hackers.
Between December 2, 2014, and January 27, 2015, Anthem, a large health insurance provider, suffered the most severe healthcare data breach the US has seen.
Stemming from a phishing email, hackers were able to steal almost 79 million patient records that included Social Security numbers, birth dates, medical record numbers, addresses, protected health information (PHI), and more. An unknown number of identities were stolen as a result.
In one of many more visceral attacks, hackers attacking California-based healthcare provider Prospect Medical Holdings caused emergency room shutdowns and ambulance service disruptions across multiple states.
In October of 2023, hackers targeted plastic surgery providers, stealing explicit patient photos and data to extort doctors and their patients by threatening to publish them.
Banks and financial institutions aren’t safe from hackers
Attacks against banking institutions and cryptocurrency platforms are a no-brainer, as where there is money, there will be an opportunity for theft.
On a global scale, hackers in October of 2023 paralyzed the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the largest bank in the world by assets. A ransomware attack disrupted trades and resulted in the bank having to transmit data to entities overseeing US Treasury translation through a courier with a USB stick.
North Korea’s Lazarus Group is a notorious hacking collective working on behalf of the country’s government. Through a seemingly endless series of breaches and hacks against cryptocurrency platforms, Lazarus Group has reportedly stolen $3 billion, much of which is believed to fund the government’s weapons and missile development programs directly.
Government agencies aren’t safe from hackers
Hackers are motivated by financial gain or access to information that can be used for espionage. It’s usually the latter when it comes to attacks against government agencies or even individual officials.
Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli company NSO Group, is touted as the most powerful spyware ever created. Infecting smartphones, the spyware can transform a device into a 24-hour surveillance tool capable of copying messages, stealing photos, recording calls, turning on the camera and microphone, and transmitting location.
Spread to officials all over the world, NOS Group’s Pegasus has been used to spy on those working in government and by authoritarian regimes to gather intel on journalists, dissidents, and political opponents.
On a smaller scale, local governments are repeatedly hit by hackers. Often underfunded and spread thin, small government entities can be easily subjected to ransomware attacks that can disrupt law enforcement, rescue operations, and administrative and judicial activities.
Individuals aren’t safe from hackers
Hacks of major banks and government entities make the headlines, but scams that target individuals occur at an alarming frequency. These can be phishing emails, texts that purport to be from a trusted colleague or company, malvertising campaigns, and even social engineering schemes requiring time spent on the phone talking to an actual person.
A recent report from the Federal Trade Commission indicates that, between January 2012 and June of 2023, Americans lost $2.7 billion to scams that originated on social media.
The most common type of scam is when the criminal lists an item for sale but makes off with a victim’s money and disappears. Others involve so-called “investment opportunities” that lure victims into sending money or banking credentials expecting a lucrative return, only to have their funds stolen.
Scammers will stoop to any level to part individuals with their money, even employing entire call centers to trick people into believing they’re talking with a government official who needs remote computer commandr to protect their finances and identity.
Small businesses aren’t safe from hackers
Attackers target small businesses because they know most don’t have the budget or capacity to defend themselves adequately. Small businesses also often have dealings with larger companies and can sometimes be used to leapfrog to more substantial victims.
Overworked email screeners may accidentally open a malicious email attachment that gives criminal control of their company’s network or be tricked into turning over credentials over the phone.
Employment hacks are also a major problem, as criminals are becoming more adept at spoofing company websites to trick hopeful job candidates into purchasing gift cards, handing over banking information, or downloading malware with the expectation of landing their dream job. Hacks of this nature harm job seekers and companies that are being impersonated, as they may cause those affected to associate the brand with the scam even though they had nothing to do with it.
Workers may receive messages purported to be from a superior or colleague. Time-sensitive and delivered using names or terminology familiar to insiders in the company, these types of scams tend to see a victim get a message from their boss who cannot handle a task due to being in a meeting or otherwise predisposed. The message crafted by a scammer will ask the employee to make a purchase, move finances, or perhaps share a password that may grant criminals access to company data.
In an alarming development, deepfake technology has allowed scammers to move beyond merely texting or emailing their targets. It’s now possible for criminals to use voice-mimicking technology to generate spoken word messaging that sounds like a coworker or family member, necessitating a new and more acute awareness regarding the legitimacy of previously trustworthy electronic messages.
About NetworkTigers
NetworkTigers is the leader in the secondary market for Grade A, seller-refurbished networking equipment. Founded in January 1996 as Andover Consulting Group, which built and re-architected data centers for Fortune 500 firms, NetworkTigers provides consulting and network equipment to global governmental agencies, Fortune 2000, and healthcare companies. www.networktigers.com
