Hackers hibernated for months before they struck
We continually hear cybersecurity this, and cybersecurity that. What does that really entail?
The cyber security industry is booming. The active practice of defending computers, servers, and data from malicious attacks has gotten tougher, because hackers have gotten cleverer.
An example of these clever trickers is SolarWinds, a midsize IT company from Austin, Texas who were subjected to a cyber attack through its software systems.
How did the hack happen?
Orion, the software system SolarWinds uses, was infected with a malicious code. SolarWinds unknowingly sent this code through software updates, which created a backdoor to customer’s information. It allowed the hackers to install more malware.
The breach went undetected for 9 months and affected 18,000 organizations, including:
- FireEye
- US Government (the Department of Homeland Security and Treasury Department)
- Microsoft
- Intel
Who were the hackers?
Without knowing for certain just yet, federal investigators named Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service as the likely culprits.
If this is the case, these are the same attackers responsible for breaking into email servers in the White House, members of the Hilary Clinton presidential campaign and several other government organizations.
How do we move forward?
IT specialists should discuss a strategy with clients. Below are some steps for how to achieve this.
- Know the landscape of the organization you’re trying to protect.
- Identify current state of security environment
- Evaluate company’s security maturity level
- Evaluate your technology stack
- Evaluate organizations ability to execute the plan
Any company that possess data will be at risk without proper security.We can see the importance of data. Hackers want it and we try our best to protect it.
For more information about how we can help you strategize, please contact our Vancouver office at (360)-567-4950 or our Austin office at (512) 522-5834.
