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.
Sandhills Global
Exploit: Ransomware
Sandhills Global: IT & Digital Publishing
Risk to Small Business: Digital publishing giant Sandhills Global was shut down this week by a ransomware attack. The company handles trade magazines and websites for major publications in the transportation, agricultural, aerospace, heavy machinery and technology industries. Publications that Sandhills produces include TractorHouse, Machinery Trader, Machinery Trader Auction Results, Truck Paper, RentalYard, and AuctionTime, as well as Controller, Executive Controller, and Charter Hub, are among its trade magazines. Sandhills Global’s website, as well as all of their hosted publications, went offline recently, and their phones stopped working after a successful ransomware attack purportedly by Conti. Investigation of the breach and restoration of the impacted sites is underway.
How it Could Affect Your Business: Data is of immense value to cybercriminals in the booming dark web data markets, and by scooping it up at service providers like publishing companies they can ensure that they profit even if no ransom is paid.
Marketron
Exploit: Ransomware
Marketron: Marketing Services Company
Risk to Small Business: Marketron has been hit by the busy BlackMatter crew. The company provides cloud-based revenue and traffic management tools for broadcast and media organizations with an emphasis on revenue management and audience engagement. The company disclosed that it had been contacted by the Russian gang on Sunday with a ransom demand. The attack affected the Marketron Traffic, Visual Traffic Cloud, Exchange and Advertiser Portal services. RadioTraffic and RepPak services were not hit in the attack but were taken offline in the aftermath as a precaution and authorities including the FBI were informed. The BlackMatter organization is suspected to be the new guise of DarkSide.
How it Could Affect Your Business: Today’s tricky ransomware landscape holds more traps than many organizations are expecting and the damage can be widespread if an attack strikes home.
Portpass
Exploit: Misconfiguration
Portpass: COVID-19 Vaccine Passport Platform
Risk to Small Business: Canadian proof-of-vaccination app Portpass is having misconfiguration problems. That unfortunately led to exposed personal information for more than 650,000 registered users. CBC News reported that the problem was discovered by an anonymous tipster on its website. An investigation revealed that the company had not encrypted any of the data that it was maintaining and some could be viewed in plain text. The company claimed that the data was only exposed for a few minutes, but investigative reporting disproved that claim. The Alberta privacy commissioner’s office said in an emailed statement that it has not yet received a report and the progress of a formal investigation is unclear.
How it Could Affect Your Business: Cybercrime threat risk is bad enough without shooting yourself in the foot through sloppy IT practices.
