Staying Secure: Recent Security Breaches and Essential Prevention Strategies
The increasing reliance on digital technologies has led to the increased frequency of security breaches. Recent incidents have highlighted vulnerabilities across several industries, emphasizing the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. Here, we examine some notable security breaches that have recently made headlines, detailing the “how” and the responses taken to mitigate future risks.
Microsoft Azure and Executive Accounts
In a significant cyberattack on Microsoft Azure in January 2024, hackers exposed the accounts of hundreds of Microsoft senior executives to unauthorized access, with the use of phishing attacks and malicious links. The attackers used a password spray attack to break into the accounts, which is when an attacker tries several passwords across multiple user accounts to avoid detection systems. This breach allowed unauthorized access to Microsoft email accounts, leading to the exfiltration of sensitive emails and attached documents. The attackers also targeted source code and infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of heightened vigilance against sophisticated phishing tactics.
One extremely effective way to ward against this type of attack is to create strong passwords and change them regularly to prevent them from being hacked, as well as using multi-factor authentication.
Bank of America Third-Party Data Breach
Attackers understand that large banks have robust cybersecurity measures to protect their networks. However, many third parties lack similar resources and may not yet prioritize cybersecurity education or infrastructure. This makes them more likely to be targets for cybercriminals seeking vulnerabilities to exploit when sharing data with major institutions. This incident underscores the critical need for financial institutions to strengthen third-party vendor security protocols and ensure robust data protection measures.
The ransomware group LockBit orchestrated a breach targeting Bank of America in February 2024 via its third-party vendor, Infosys McCamish. Personal information—including names, Social Security numbers, and account details of over 57,000 individuals—was compromised.
Ascension Ransomware Attack
Such attacks necessitate comprehensive cybersecurity strategies to safeguard critical healthcare infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted patient care. Moreover, ensuring robust disaster recovery plans and reliable backups can get services back on track faster, which is particularly crucial for healthcare systems, because extended delay can directly impact patient care and safety.
Ascension, the owner of 15 hospitals in Michigan, fell victim to a ransomware attack in May 2024 that disrupted electronic health records systems, phone systems, and scheduling processes. Non-emergency procedures and appointments were suspended, highlighting the operational impact of cybersecurity incidents on healthcare services.
New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Cyberattack
In 2020, research showed that municipalities, which are already vulnerable targets for cybercrime, faced 44% of global ransomware attacks—equating to approximately 133,496,000 incidents. An April 2021 cyberattack on the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) compromised 18 systems, including those controlling train operations and safety mechanisms. This breach posed serious implications for public safety and operational continuity.
Following the attack, MTA swiftly implemented federally recommended security enhancements and mandated password changes and VPN switches for employees and contractors, illustrating proactive steps to fortify cybersecurity defenses.
Moving Forward: Prevention Procedures
Preventing security breaches requires a multi-faceted approach that empowers teams and safeguards organizational assets. Regular training sessions are essential to educate employees on identifying phishing emails, creating robust passwords, and understanding the importance of safeguarding sensitive information. This measure ensures everyone understands their role in preventing data breaches.
Strengthening asset management through classification, organization, automation, and continuous monitoring helps maintain an up-to-date inventory, facilitating informed decision-making and enhancing troubleshooting capabilities. Effective management and monitoring of access rights, supported by IAM, routine account audits, SSO, and multi-factor authentication, are also critical for ensuring only authorized personnel have access to certain resources.
Another strategy to prevent security breaches is implementing robust firewalls and antivirus software services, which can serve as the frontline defense against malicious threats. Regular updates to these defenses are crucial to identifying and addressing vulnerabilities promptly. Additionally, implementing automated data backup systems across multiple locations provides a safety net against data loss and physical damage, ensuring business continuity even in the face of unforeseen incidents. By integrating these preventive measures into comprehensive cybersecurity strategies, organizations can effectively mitigate risks and protect sensitive information from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
At Aunalytics, we are committed to preventing security breaches—protecting customer data is our top priority. We adhere to stringent security protocols, including regular employee training, robust encryption measures, and continuous monitoring of access controls. Our goal is to ensure our clients are utilizing the latest security technologies and best practices to stay protected, while having the right backup and disaster recovery strategies in place to get their businesses back up and running as quickly as possible in the event of a cyber event or disaster scenario.
2024 Indiana Statewide Cybersecurity Summit
2024 Indiana Statewide Cybersecurity Summit
Embassy Suites by Hilton, South Bend, IN
Kerry Vickers, Chief Information Security Officer of Aunalytics, to Participate in Panel Discussion
Aunalytics is excited to attend the 2024 Indiana Statewide Cybersecurity Summit in South Bend, IN. Kerry Vickers, CISO of Aunalytics will be participating in the panel discussion entitled, “CUI/CMMC Compliance: Challenges and Best Practices for Academia and Businesses” from 03:45 – 04:30pm.
2024 Ohio Information Security Conference
2024 Ohio Information Security Conference
Sinclair Conference Center, Dayton, OH
Aunalytics to Attend and Speak at the 2024 Ohio Information Security Conference
Aunalytics is excited to attend the 2024 Ohio Information Security Conference presented by Technology First in Dayton, OH as a Gold Sponsor. The Aunalytics team is excited to connect with fellow IT professionals to discuss security and innovation in the technology field. Kerry Vickers, CISO of Aunalytics will be joining Max Aulakh, President and Founder of Ignyte, to present “Incident Response Live!” —a tabletop group exercise from 1:30-2:30pm.
2023 misecCON
2023 misecCON
Radisson Hotel Lansing at the Capital, Lansing, MI
Aunalytics Is Excited to Attend the 2023 MisecCON as a Bronze Sponsor
Aunalytics is excited to attend 2023 misecCON in Lansing, MI. The Aunalytics team is excited to connect with fellow security experts and discuss new developments and innovation in the field.
2023 Technology First Taste of IT Conference
2023 Technology First Taste of IT Conference
Sinclair Conference Center, Dayton, OH
Aunalytics Is Excited to Attend the 2023 Technology First Taste of IT Conference
Aunalytics is excited to attend the 2023 Technology First Taste of IT Conference in Dayton, OH as a Gold Sponsor. The Aunalytics team is excited to connect with fellow IT professionals to discuss security and innovation in the technology field.
2023 Columbus Connect Networking Event
2023 Columbus Connect Networking Event
Columbus Zoo - Heart of Africa Event Center, Columbus, OH
Aunalytics Is Excited to Attend the 2023 Columbus Connect Networking Event
Aunalytics is excited to attend the 2023 Columbus Connect Networking Event, sponsored by its technology partner, Cologix. The Aunalytics team is excited to connect with fellow IT professionals to discuss security and innovation in the technology field.
2023 IBA Security & Technology Conference
IBA Security & Technology Conference
Renaissance Indianapolis North Hotel, Carmel, IN
Aunalytics Is Proud to Be a Breakfast Sponsor at the 2023 IBA Security & Technology Conference
Aunalytics is excited to attend the Indiana Bankers Association Security & Technology Conference in Carmel, IN. Aunalytics is participating as a Breakfast Sponsor and our team is excited to connect with fellow IT professionals to discuss security and innovation in the technology field.
Think You Know Ransomware? Fighting Cybercrime: Weapons and Warriors
Cybercrime is no longer an inconvenience for an unlucky few—rather, it has far-reaching implications for the global economy, as well as national security. According to the World Economic Forum, the annual cost of cybercrime is projected to reach $10.5 trillion in 2025. In addition to economic consequences, hostile countries such as North Korea have been known to fund their weapons programs through cyberattacks and crypto theft. Therefore, fighting cybercrime should be a top priority for both governments and organizations of all sizes.
It is almost impossible to find an organization, or even an individual, who does not deal with the storage and transmission of data in one way or another. That makes anyone a target. And, unfortunately, the weakest links in the chain are oftentimes the users themselves. Anyone can mistakenly open a dangerous email or click on a malicious link, and that is all it can take to compromise an entire organization.
So how can organizations fight back and protect themselves from this looming threat?
As technology enables more complex attacks, experts say that combatting cybercrime requires a human skillset—including security awareness education for each and every individual, as well as advanced cybersecurity technology paired with 24×7 monitoring. In the last video of their three-part series on ransomware, Sophos, an Aunalytics technology partner, explores ways the security community is fighting cybercrime—from blockchain analytics to advanced prevention techniques.
View the episode on Vimeo.
Are you certain your organization is fully protected? If you aren’t sure, the security experts at Aunalytics can help you determine your organization’s risk. We offer a complete suite of managed security services and maintain a highly secure cloud environment utilizing security best practices. Aunalytics partners with leading technologies in the security field, such as Sophos, to ensure that your organization always stays a step ahead of hackers and other bad actors. Don’t leave your organization vulnerable—contact Aunalytics today.
Think You Know Ransomware? The Faces of Cybercrime: The Hunters and The Hunted
Ransomware attacks are not simply a nuisance—a single attack can affect thousands of computers and servers, cost companies huge sums of money, or prevent businesses from operating altogether. And it’s not just large corporations that are at risk. Governments, universities, police forces, healthcare organizations, and even small businesses are brought to their knees by cybercrime. Anyone can be a victim—it can be as simple as one person clicking on a malicious link in an email.
Once attacked, organizations are faced with a dilemma. Either pay a large ransom and hope the attacker will actually provide the key to recover their data, or try to mitigate the loss of data on their own, which can be expensive and extremely time consuming. Yet, even if an organization chooses to pay a ransom to recover data right away, they will likely still face negative consequences from the breech, including lost productivity, risk of litigation, and loss of customer trust.
Despite the magnitude of this issue, it has been very difficult for authorities to catch and prosecute cybercriminals. In fact, the problem is only getting worse as these individuals continue to succeed in making large sums of money from the comfort of their own homes—without facing any consequences.
Why are cybercriminals able to flourish, and what can we do to stop them? Part two of Sophos‘ documentary series on ransomware explores the risks of cybercrime to organizations both large and small, and examines the various factors that have led to an increase in ransomware attacks.
View the episode on Vimeo.
Are you certain your organization is fully protected? If you aren’t sure, the security experts at Aunalytics can help you determine your organization’s risk. We offer a complete suite of managed security services and maintain a highly secure cloud environment utilizing security best practices. Aunalytics partners with leading technologies in the security field, such as Sophos, to ensure that your organization always stays a step ahead of hackers and other bad actors. Don’t leave your organization vulnerable—contact Aunalytics today.
Think You Know Ransomware? The Origins of Cybercrime
How well do you know ransomware? Security hacks and ransomware attacks are constantly in the news. In fact, in June 2023, a zero-day vulnerability in Progress Software’s MOVEit Transfer managed file transfer (MFT) product affected over 130 organizations and millions of individuals. And that is only the latest in a constant stream of cybercrime.
Since the advent of the internet, hackers have been developing increasingly sophisticated attacks. But what is most concerning may be that what was once only achievable by highly-skilled hackers is now accessible to anyone. Would-be cybercriminals can easily access the tools and knowledge via the internet to mount an attack. Currently, that most often takes the shape of a ransomware attack—which makes any industry with data a target. Despite this fact, many organizations and individuals continue to remain vulnerable.
Sophos, a leading security software and hardware company, and one of Aunalytics’ technology partners, has released a three-part documentary series examining the history of cybercrime and how it affects everyone—from small businesses to local and national governments. The first episode examines origins of cybercrime and explores why many interconnected systems are susceptible to ransomware attacks. Watch it below:
View the episode on Vimeo.
Are you certain your organization is fully protected? If you aren’t sure, the security experts at Aunalytics can help you determine your organization’s risk. We offer a complete suite of managed security services and maintain a highly secure cloud environment utilizing security best practices. Aunalytics partners with leading technologies in the security field, such as Sophos, to ensure that your organization always stays a step ahead of hackers and other bad actors. Don’t leave your organization vulnerable—contact Aunalytics today.
