Cyber bytes - Issue 15

Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.

£18 billion data breach lawsuit against easyJet

UK budget airline easyJet recently confirmed that information belonging to nine million customers could have been exposed as a result of a cyber incident.

To read more, please click here.

Transferring business from physical to online

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released guidance on how businesses can transition to digital platforms and implement new cyber security measures. The guidance includes advice around dealing with new ways of working, such as reviewing Service Level Agreements and securing devices, as well as implementing systems which will sustain homeworking conditions for the long term.

For the full set of guidance, please click here.

COVID-19 and an increase in numbers of cyber security incidents

Experts from PwC's UK Cyber Threat Intelligence team have analysed the detail sitting behind the increase in reported cyber security incidents during COVID-19.  They found that many public high-profile cyber security incidents were already set in motion before the COVID-19 outbreak, with attackers often obtaining initial access to networks long before the incidents are identified and reported.  Nonetheless, it is thought there are number of reasons for an increase in cyber incidents following the COVID-19 outbreak, including organised crime groups taking advantage of target organisations in desperate situations and vulnerabilities of remote working practices.

For the full article, please click here.

Online sales drive the need for cyber insurance

Large numbers of businesses with a physical presence on the high street have been forced to close due to COVID-19 and move their services and products online. As a result, food and groceries sales have significantly increased during the government-imposed lockdowns. This means, as businesses focus on their online sales, they will hold more digital records of sensitive personal information and this opens the door for new cyber related insurance policies to be sold. 

For the full article, please click here.

Major Ukraine cyber attacker detained

The Security Service of Ukraine recently announced it had detained a hacker who could be partly responsible for a "megabreach" in 2009 which involved the release of about 773 million stolen usernames and passwords. Whilst it is a relief that criminals are being made accountable for their activities, such an incident should be viewed as a good reminder to ensure people are adequately protecting their accounts by adopting unique passwords with sufficient complexity.

For the full article, please click here.