Here’s the latest installment of the Hacks, Attacks and Breaches cybersecurity news update.
The Logically team provides top cyber security stories every week to keep you up to date on the latest news headlines on cybersecurity, hacking, computer security, ransomware and other cybersecurity threats.
Diamond Comic Distributors
Exploit: Ransomware
Diamond Comic Distributors: Periodical Distributor
Risk to Small Business: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a ransomware attack at Diamond Comic Distributors. The Baltimore-based company, the exclusive distributor of DC and Image Comics and a publishing outlet for dozens of small-press comics publishers, suffered a ransomware attack last Friday that took down the company’s website and customer service platforms all weekend into Monday. Diamond said in a statement that it did not anticipate that any customer financial data had been impacted by this event. Investigation and recovery is underway with some functions already restored.
How it Could Affect Your Business: Ransomware can cost companies a fortune from operational disruption alone even if no data is snatched, not to mention incident response costs.
Electronic Warfare Associates (EWA)
Exploit: Phishing
Electronic Warfare Associates (EWA): Defense Contractor
Risk to Small Business: A phishing attack that snared an employee is the suspected cause of a breach at defense contractor Electronic Warfare Associates (EWA). The company is a major provider of specialized software for the US defense establishment including the Pentagon, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). EWA’s investigation determined that an attacker broke into an EWA email account in August 2021 after a phishing operation. The intrusion was uncovered when the attacker attempted a wire transfer. Employee PII was exposed and concern remains that sensitive defense information may also have been exposed.
How it Could Affect Your Business: Phishing is an equal opportunity offender and no less likely to be successful against the presumably cybersecurity savvy employees of a tech company as any other business.
Newfoundland and Labrador Health
Exploit: Ransomware
Newfoundland and Labrador Health: Healthcare System
Risk to Small Business: What may be the largest cyberattack in Canadian history crippled the healthcare system of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador on October 30th. The suspected ransomware attack hit scheduling and payment systems, causing widespread interruptions in patient care including the cancellation of all non-urgent imaging and medical appointments well as a reduction in chemotherapy sessions and significant complications the province’s COVID-19 response. Eastern Health reported that their payment systems to suppliers and vendors were also targeted by the attack. Email and telephone capability has been restored in some locations and an investigation is ongoing.
How it Could Affect Your Business: Healthcare has been beleaguered by cyberattacks, especially ransomware, since the start of the global pandemic.
