You may be aware of some of the huge cyber attacks that have been in the news recently, and you may have been impacted by them yourself. With many big firms affected, it’s becoming more and more important to stay on top of your online security. At 1st Call Detectives, we encourage all of our clients to take online security seriously, so they can protect themselves from possible threats.

We’ve taken a look at some newsworthy cyber attacks and breaches of privacy to see what you can learn from them and better protect yourself or your business online.

Yahoo

In 2013-14, it was revealed that the internet company Yahoo had been targeted in the biggest data breach of all time. Overall 3 billion user accounts had been breached, with 500 million genuine names, email addresses, dates of birth and telephone numbers taken. 

So what can be learned? If you’re a business that carries client information, this attack shows the very real need for robust cyber security, encryption and rigour. If you’re a private individual, it shows the importance of regularly changing your password and choosing something harder to crack with hacking algorithms. For more information about choosing a secure online password, we’ve got a helpful guide to strong passwords on our blog. With the Yahoo attack, it was also shown that many security questions were breached, so this is another thing to watch out for. Account security questions allow a password to be reset by someone who isn’t you, so make sure you choose a question and answer only you could know. 

The 2017 NHS hack

Causing chaos across the UK, last year’s NHS hack was big news. It was hit be Wanna Decryptor, ransomware that can infect whole systems, locking users out of their computers unless they paid. This huge attack also affected Russia’s interior and emergency ministry, the bank Serba and the US firm FedEx. The virus tells users files will be deleted and the price of the ransom would increase over time. Obviously, this kind of attack is distressing, especially when targeting some of the country’s most vital services. It is possible to remove the virus using advanced anti-malware software; however, the attack revealed the vulnerabilities that many IT systems have.

Looking at this huge attack one thing that stands out is the fact that the affected computers were still using Microsoft XP, which is outdated and no longer given security updates by Microsoft. Hospitals were sent a patch that could have prevented their computers being attacked, but they weren’t installed by the affected users. This shows us the importance of keeping your computer up to date, using efficient antivirus software and listening to and acting on advice from your company’s IT department. It also shows the real world impact of cyber attacks, and the dangers they can pose.

Tesco Bank

Though this isn’t the biggest attack, it was the largest amount of money taken from a UK bank through a cyber attack. The Tesco cyber attack resulted in the theft of £2.5 million from 9,000 ordinary customers’ current accounts. Tesco banking shut down and services were unavailable to customers while the hack was investigated, and all customers were reimbursed by Tesco. This attack was different as personal data wasn’t compromised, it was Tesco’s system that was breached. 

This attack highlighted the need for banks to be more proactive in their efforts against cyber attacks and maintaining stricter security measures. It also shows us that it’s important to keep track of our accounts online so that if your bank is ever the victim of a cyber attack you know as soon as possible and can alert them. Frequently monitoring your accounts is really important in protecting yourself against online fraud, and if you see any unauthorised payments it’s vital to get in touch straight away. 

TalkTalk

In 2015, the communications firm TalkTalk revealed a massive cyber attack, with nearly 157,000 customers’ personal details accessed by hackers. Worryingly, over 15,000 bank account numbers and sort codes were stolen, as well as names, telephone numbers, addresses, dates of birth and email addresses.

This attack again highlights the need for better security from firms with customer information, especially as it was found out a 17-year-old schoolboy had been involved in the attack. It also shows the importance of being aware of phishing scams, and avoiding false calls from firms who may have your information, obtained through malicious means. Never give out personal information, passwords, bank account information or make transfers over the phone, no matter how convincing the caller is.

At 1st Call Detectives we are committed to keeping our customers’ personal information secure and use encryption software and advanced security to make sure our clients are safe. Check out our blog for more articles on online security. If you’re looking for a private detective firm you can trust, get in touch to see how we can help you.