Cybersecurity news is an important resource for IT professionals, who must be aware of evolving threats and defense mechanisms. Keeping up with cybersecurity news allows them to better protect their clients, employers, and networks from hacker attacks.
In 2023, cyber attacks disrupted systems and organizations at an unprecedented scale, and tens of millions of consumers were impacted globally. These incidents emphasized the need for more sophisticated data protection practices and demonstrated how a single lapse in patching or access control can have far-reaching effects.
The NotPetya malware attack, which spread rapidly and infected more than 100,000 computer systems worldwide in 2017, is considered the most destructive cyberattack ever. The attack cost hundreds of billions of dollars and caused significant disruptions at the global level. The NotPetya incident also underscored how interconnected financial systems are and how the impact of a single security incident can have ripple effects across organizations and economies.
A cyberattack on the US and UK water utility company Veolia led to a data breach and online bill payment disruption. A limited number of customers may have had personal information stolen from the company, but there is no indication that water or wastewater treatment services were affected, the company said.
The 23andMe data breach demonstrates how a lack of basic cybersecurity measures can lead to the loss of user information. The company’s inability to implement two-step verification for password resets contributed to the incident, which impacted 2.3 million current and former users. The incident also highlighted the importance of maintaining a comprehensive incident response plan to limit the impact of cyber attacks.