Here are two informative articles from the BBC looking at two different cyber-attacks.
The first is a look at an attack on Redcar and Cleveland Council in February 2020, which for the rest of us got overtaken by world events but for those living and working in the region it had a real impact on their lives.
The inside story of a council held to ransom in cyber-attack – BBC News
Cyber security has moved on since 2020 but ransomware and the criminal organisations that deliver these attacks have also advanced, so these types of destructive cyber-attacks still work today.
The second article, by Joe Tidy, is more on the developing story of the wide ranging cyber-attacks on UK retail.
‘They yanked their own plug’: How Co-op averted an even worse cyber-attacks – BBC News
“Pulling the plug” is a strategy I teach our clients – it is an effective way to halt the impact of an incident. Read Joe’s article to see the response from the cyber-gang about the Co-Op pulling the plug – they were not happy! It is better to tank sales than lose everything.
Your Takeaway – Cyber-attacks
Planning is essential. In 2020 Redcar and Cleveland Council had a plan that was considered suffient at the time, unfortunately it was not up to the job. The Co-Op had a plan and also opted for the drastic step. You need a plan.
In these two articles I look at some planning that any organisation can put in place to limit the impact of many cyber-attacks:
Minimise the Damage – Planning and Preparation – Ransomware Part 3
Pull the Plug: But I haven’t got a plug!
For my primer on ransomware – which includes advice applicable to many other cyber-attacks – have a look at this:
I am in the process of reviewing this Back-to-Basics primer and the revised version will first be released as an ebook. If you would like early access to this update then sign up for our newsletter and watch out for the opportunity to download it first.
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
Further Reading
Photo by ThisIsEngineering
