Hackers continue to take cyber-attacks to new levels by successfully targeting a large IT company that specialises in security. 

Global software company Kaseya may not be a household name, but they are big in the world of IT; they supply IT to IT providers. Whilst Net Primates are not directly supplied by Kaseya, many similar companies to ourselves rely on Kaseya for IT management solutions. So, they are influential in the IT market and have a wide reach – a perfect target for cyber criminals. 

Whilst many in the US were enjoying 4th July celebrations, and we in the UK were engrossed in the football, hackers were hard at work. Kaseya noticed irregularities on 2nd July and quickly initiated a well-rehearsed cyber-attack plan. Whilst they managed to minimise the impact of the attack, hackers still felt they had enough data to issue a $70 million ransomware demand! 

In the short space of time that the cyber criminals were active within Kaseya they managed to impact 50 of their customers. Whilst this was a small percentage of their customers, the impact to each of them is substantial, as is the reputational damage to Kaseya. 

Over the past week Kaseya’s CEO, Fred Voccola, has appeared red-eyed, having obviously had very little sleep, to explain the situation. Watching him grapple with both the implications to the business and their customers is painful viewing, but we admire his forthright approach. 

As we’ve explained before, all the IT security in the world will not stop an attack if hackers are determined to get in. 

Whilst this may sound hopeless, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put every measure you possibly can in place to prevent an attack. Imagine how well-prepared Kaseya were; if they hadn’t prepared beforehand the impact would have been far greater. 

As Fred Voccola explains, many of his competitors stepped in to help. They recognised that using the incident to gain reputational and competitive advantage was inappropriate; they understood how easily the boot could have been on the other foot. Standing together against criminals is vital. We ALL need to work together to combat cybercrime. 

Cybercrime is everywhere!

How regularly do we receive fraudulent emails and texts? Click here, fill in this form, etc. We are all targets. If Kaseya can get hit, so can we. Whilst Kaseya were attacked, it’s still worth taking a leaf out of their book.  

  • Make sure you can quickly recognise when an attack is taking place 
  • Have a well-rehearsed plan in place to deal with an attack 
  • Take measures to protect your customers and your business as quickly as possible 
  • Be open, accept help and do what you can to beat the criminals. 

We recognise that ‘fessing up’ is not an easy thing to do. But what’s the alternative? By keeping an attack a secret (if that is possible) and paying a ransom, not only are criminal activities rewarded and exacerbated, but it also shows disregard for your responsibilities to customers and the law. 

Kaseya’s honesty was rewarded by help from competitors, US homeland security, the FBI and even President Biden! 

We don’t want you to be in Kaseya’s position. We’ll carry out an IT security audit of your business and advise on any areas of weakness. We’ll also help you put policies in place to minimise the chances of human error but also what to do if you think you’re under attack. 

Make sure your business is as IT secure as it possibly can be, protecting your customers and your reputation. 

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