When people think about possible threats to their businesses, cyberattacks generally don’t rank at the top of the list. Cyber security hacks can wreak havoc on a business, though, so it’s worth staying on top of the most prevalent attacks each year, and keeping aware of potential concerns for your business. With that in mind, here are the biggest cyber hacks of 2021.
GoDaddy Hack
As many as 1.2 million customers of domain giant GoDaddy were exposed by a third party in this huge cyber-attack. These active and inactive users of GoDaddy’s service may have had their customer numbers, WordPress passwords, and email addresses exposed by the breach. A smaller group of customers also had to deal with their SSL private key being exposed.
How did this all happen? It appears that a malicious third party gained access to the system using a compromised password. GoDaddy has already reset the account passwords for all the accounts and issued new SSL certificates where necessary, in addition to investigating the breach further.
Microsoft Exchange Exploited
Microsoft Exchange, a popular email product, had serious security vulnerabilities which hackers happily exploited. At least 60,000 people fell victim to the cyberattacks related to Microsoft Exchange, including 30,000 Americans. Though the hacks are thought to have started with a group called “HAFNIUM,” several other cybercrime groups got in on the action, too.
Colonial Pipeline Attack
The attack against the Colonial Pipeline was probably the most publicized of all these hacks, and for good reason. It was a clear demonstration of how devastating cybercrime can be, with consequences that reached far beyond the directly affected business. The hackers in this attack found a way inside the Colonial Pipeline network and halted operations, demanding a cryptocurrency payment in exchange for restoring function.
SolarWinds Breach
The massive hack dubbed the “SolarWinds” breach was actually a group of cyberattacks against no less than three software firms, including VMWare, SolarWinds, and Microsoft. The breach affected American companies and major federal agencies alike, meaning the hackers gleaned incredible amounts of information on the private and public sectors in the United States. The Department of Defense, NASA, and the Department of Homeland Security were among the affected federal agencies.
U.S. authorities believe the hackers found ways into the networks of the agencies and companies through vulnerabilities in their software. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Kaseya Attack
Global IT provider Kaseya suffered its own major cyberattack when hackers infected its software product, VSA, with ransomware. From there, the malware in the product spread to Kaseya’s customers and some of their customer’s customers. In the end, hundreds of businesses across the globe were affected by this attack. The cyber attackers asked for $70 million in exchange for a decryptor that can unlock all of the affected files but have since seemingly gone underground.
Final Thoughts
Small businesses are far more likely to be attacked than these larger companies. Talk with experts about a cyber liability insurance policy to protect your business and customers. SFM Insurance is a great place to start. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business thrive, no matter what life throws at you. For more tips and our latest updates, visit us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn!
