{"id":431,"date":"2020-12-05T11:46:09","date_gmt":"2020-12-05T11:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sugarshotlive.wpengine.com\/?p=431"},"modified":"2023-05-11T09:08:14","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T09:08:14","slug":"4-major-hacks-in-2017-and-how-your-los-angeles-business-should-respond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sugarshot.io\/4-major-hacks-in-2017-and-how-your-los-angeles-business-should-respond\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Major Hacks in 2020 (And What Your Business Can Learn From Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cyberattacks are on the rise year over year, and 2020 was no exception. Global ransomware<\/a> damages hit $11.5 billion in 2019, and Cybersecurity Ventures<\/a> estimates that number will double by 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s alarming number of data breaches has been attributed to cybercriminals exploiting security weaknesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global shift to remote work<\/a> has prompted hackers to launch multi-faceted cyberattacks aimed at individuals and businesses of all sizes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Data breaches prove that no business is immune to cyberattacks. Let\u2019s review 2020\u2019s biggest hacks and learn what they can teach us about cybersecurity.<\/p>\n

THE BIGGEST DATA BREACHES IN 2020<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, cybercrime isn\u2019t going away. Every business and IT professional must take security issues more seriously to protect organizations from the following scenarios.<\/p>\n

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1. MARRIOTT<\/h3>\n

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In March 2020, hackers accessed an internal data system that contained the personal information of approximately 5.2 million hotel guests who used Marriott\u2019s loyalty program. The data was accessed using two employees\u2019 stolen login credentials at one of Marriott\u2019s franchise properties.<\/p>\n

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According to the Marriot, hackers might have obtained these employees’ credentials by phishing or credential stuffing.<\/p>\n

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LESSON 1: Protect Yourself From Phishing Scams<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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2. NINTENDO<\/h3>\n

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In June 2020, Nintendo announced that 300,000 Nintendo accounts had been breached since the beginning of April. Cybercriminals used customers\u2019 Nintendo Network IDs to make fraudulent purchases without permission. The hackers could also see customers\u2019 personal information and access payment services linked to their accounts to make additional purchases.<\/p>\n

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As a result of this breach, Nintendo stopped letting users log in to play with their Nintendo Network ID (NNID). The company also recommended that users enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect their data.<\/p>\n

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LESSON 2: Use MultI-Factor Authentication<\/a> (MFA)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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3. ZOOM<\/h3>\n

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At the beginning of April 2020, reports indicated that 500,000 stolen Zoom account credentials (usernames and passwords) were available for sale on the dark web. Cybercriminals began \u201cZoom bombing,\u201d recording meetings, infiltrating sessions with unwanted screen shares and often shouting obscenities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The Zoom hack resulted from \u201ccredential stuffing,\u201d a method in which hackers use data from previous data breaches to obtain login credentials. In this case, hackers compiled stolen credentials into lists bought by other cybercriminals.<\/p>\n

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LESSON 3: Create Strong Password Policies and Require Unique Passwords For All Accounts<\/strong><\/p>\n

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4. MAGELLAN HEALTH<\/h3>\n

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In April 2020, Magellan Health fell victim to a cyberattack in which hackers exfiltrated 365,000 patient data records and then deployed ransomware. By impersonating a Magellan client, the attackers were able to gain access to Magellan\u2019s system five days before the ransomware attack. <\/p>\n

Hackers installed malware to steal employee login credentials and gain access to a single corporate server. That server housed sensitive patient data, including Social Security numbers, W-2 information, and health insurance and treatment information. Unfortunately, this wasn\u2019t Magellan\u2019s first breach: a phishing attack at Magellan lasted for more than a month in 2019.<\/p>\n

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LESSON 4: Use Antivirus Software<\/strong><\/p>\n

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5 CYBERSECURITY MEASURES BUSINESSES SHOULD TAKE TODAY<\/h2>\n

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1. MAINTAIN CLEAR SECURITY POLICIES<\/h3>\n

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Fail to plan, plan to fail. Without clear security policies in place, you\u2019re exposing your business to cyberattacks. Every employee needs to understand the risk involved if security policies aren\u2019t strictly followed.<\/p>\n

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Here are a few things to include in your cybersecurity checklist:<\/p>\n

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