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Today, Ofcom has confirmed that it is among an increasing number of companies to fall victim to a ransomware attack by cybercriminal organisation Clop, thought to be based in Russia.
Over the past couple of weeks, numerous companies including the BBC, British Airways, and Boots have announced that they have had sensitive data stolen by the ransomware group, affecting over 100,000 staff in total. In some cases, the data accessed included sensitive payroll.
Now, Ofcom says that it too has fallen victim to this cyberattack, resulting in the personal information of 412 employees being accessed, as well as confidential data belonging to companies being regulated by Ofcom.
Payroll data was not accessed in Ofcom’s case, according to reports.
In the attack on Ofcom, as was the case for the previously announced attacks, the breach relates to vulnerabilities in MOVEit, software being used by organisations to transfer sensitive information.
Researchers reportedly discovered a critical vulnerability on this software back in May, with attempts to exploit this vulnerability reportedly being revealed just a month later. However, it seems these revelations came too late to stop Clop from targeting major companies around the world.
Nonetheless, Ofcom says it has reacted quickly to minimise the impact of the attack, as well as notifying the Information Commissioners Office.
“A limited amount of information about certain companies we regulate – some of it confidential – along with personal data of 412 Ofcom employees, was downloaded during the attack,” said Ofcom in a statement. “The security of commercially confidential and sensitive personal information provided to Ofcom is taken extremely seriously. We took immediate action to prevent further use of the MOVEit service and to implement the recommended security measures. We also swiftly alerted all affected Ofcom-regulated companies, and we continue to offer support and assistance to our colleagues.”
According to reports, Clop is threatening to begin publishing the sensitive data of affected companies later this week if they are not paid a ransom fee. The scale of the ransom has not been made public.
Ransomware attacks such as this have been increasing at a meteoric rate in recent years, fuelled by an influx of new cybercriminal organisations and the expansion of existing operations since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Cyber extortion activity has reached a new high in the first quarter of 2023 and the recent MOVEit data breach is a stark reminder that threat actors are always on the lookout to wreak havoc. In this case, companies using the MOVEit software became potential targets as it appears that hackers affiliated with the Cl0p group orchestrated a mass attack to find and compromise their servers,” explained Charl Van Der Walt, Head of Security Research at Orange Cyberdefense.
“Accounting for a staggering 36% of all victims in 2022, it is not surprising that large organisations are becoming a preferred target for cyber extortion due to handling thousands of pieces of personal data. Whilst this remains true in the case of the MOVEit breach, medium and small sized organisations are not safe either, as cyber criminals are opportunistic by nature.”
Is the global telecoms industry doing enough to protect their customers’ personal data from ransomware attacks? Join the telecoms community as they discuss the hottest issues in cybersecurity at this year’s Total Telecom Congress live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Also in the news:
Final bids for TIM’s fibre network expected tomorrow
Let’s talk about the symbiotic relationship between data centers and submarine cables
Mexico’s high 5G spectrum price could see Telcel the only bidder in latest auction
UPDATE: Would-be Trinidadian newcomer Star Networks has been backed by Digicel. Its attempted launch event last week was cancelled after regulator TATT confirmed that it did not hold an operating licence.
In a statement, Digicel said: “As a licensed provider, we welcome anyone who wants to use Digicel’s services to lawfully provide reliable connectivity, and we are in ongoing discussions with Star Network to support their needs in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”
ORIGINAL STORY: A purported new Trinidadian operator has cancelled its launch after the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) issued a warning to the public that it had not received an operating licence.
Local news outlets reported that start-up firm Star Network (formerly Blue Mobile Network) had scheduled a launch event on Friday 9th June at Invaders Bay Tower in Mucurapo, Port of Spain. TeleGeography reports that the event was cancelled at the last minute.
Hundreds of would-be customers were lured into attending by the seemingly false offer of smartphones and laptops for just TTD1 (US$0.14). Some members of the public appear to have confused Star Network with SpaceX unit Starlink, which last week did receive a 10-year operating licence in Trinidad and Tobago.
TATT issued a statement saying: “There is no new mobile network in the country. [Any] potential operator wishing to operate a public telecommunications network, must apply for, be approved, and be granted a concession to operate a network. No application has been made nor a concession granted to any potential ‘new’ operator that was scheduled to launch today [Friday].”
However, local outlet Newsday reported that hours after the cancelled launch event, Star Network issued a statement on social media accusing incumbent provider TSTT (Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago) of attempting to “misconstrue information to the public by indicating we are a mobile virtual network operator.”
In a letter to the regulator, TSTT argued that there was no proof that Star Network had been authorised to provide public telecommunications services, going as far as to claim that the newcomer was therefore either attempting to circumvent the Telecommunications Act or even flat-out committing fraud “in an attempt to extract money [from an] unsuspecting public.”
Star Network countered that it had been cleared to operate by TATT as Blue Network, removing the word “Mobile” from its original name. However, TATT said that it had received no application nor granted any concession to any new operator, adding that this process must be followed by any party wishing to operate a network in Trinidad and Tobago.
With us today for a chat is industry evangelist and entrepreneur Hunter Newby. Hunter is always busy with something in the world of data centers, meet-me rooms, and network-neutral interconnectivity, and evidence of his unique touch is spread throughout today’s modern infrastructure. Today he joins us to talk about his latest ambitious joint venture with Connected Nation, which is looking to bring internet ecosystems not just out of the core but beyond the edge and into range of hard-to-reach rural communities. … [visit site to read more]
Cisco and AT&T announced new solutions to enhance connectivity and advance the calling landscape for hybrid workforces. Whether on the shop floor, the top floor, at the branch office, the home office, or the commute in between, the modern workforce is not tethered to a single space, device, or geography. With the new offerings, including Cisco’s Webex Calling and SD-WAN solutions alongside AT&T mobile network, businesses of any size can offer employees a simple, secure, consistent experience to thrive in any setting.
Seamless, Flexible and Native Integration with Webex Calling
The companies today announced plans that will help ensure a seamless and reliable mobile-first collaboration experience, allowing users the flexibility to take calls across multiple devices while traveling for work, running errands, and more.
With the dramatic increase in the use of mobile phones as the primary business device, enterprises need connectivity solutions that are easy to manage, secure, and provide the flexibility and reliability desired for work from anywhere. This integration addresses this need with key features including:
AT&T Cloud Voice with Webex Go[2] will be available for all Webex Calling users from Cisco partners in the United States later this year.
SD-WAN Connectivity without Compromise
Demand for unified experiences over secure connectivity to the cloud and site-to-site continues to surge. Cisco and AT&T are working together to bring secure on-demand connectivity with SD-WAN over mobile 5G and fiber broadband to businesses of every size.
For small and medium businesses, AT&T is launching a new self-service option to simplify and accelerate SD-WAN deployment. Businesses can now easily connect, protect, manage, and scale their networks using AT&T Business Wi-Fi with Cisco Meraki.
For larger enterprises, AT&T SD-WAN with Cisco is a fully managed connectivity solution with embedded security and analytics. Enterprises can now confidently connect a user or device to any application in their multicloud using a secure access service edge (SASE)-enabled architecture. This delivers integrated security and application optimization for end-to-end visibility.
Cisco will also provide the ability to embed AT&T wireless connectivity into Cisco devices enabling zero touch provisioning for Cisco and AT&T customers, through AT&T Control Center powered by Cisco.
“The network is at the core of the modern workforce. The ability to get things done is no longer reliant on where you are, but how you are connected,” said Jonathan Davidson, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Networking. “Hybrid work only works when experiences are unified—simple, secure, and consistent. Together with AT&T, we are giving businesses what they need to securely connect everything and everyone—wherever they are. Because when everything is connected, then anything is possible.”
“Mobility is key to enabling hybrid work. Businesses want a seamless and reliable communication experience,” said Mike Troiano, Senior Vice President, Product & Pricing, AT&T. “At the heart of our collaboration with Cisco is a shared vision to empower organizations with secure connectivity, unmatched reliability, and deep network expertise. By deeply integrating our technology, businesses can be assured their communications are built on a solid foundation. Together we are unlocking new levels of productivity, agility, and connectivity— enabling teams to thrive in the modern work landscape.”
[1] Requires compatible device; not available in all areas.
[2] Customers will need to procure and pay for the required AT&T Wireless CRU Plan from AT&T or authorized AT&T partner and Webex Calling License and required Webex GO-M SKU from Webex Reseller/VAR.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
A bunch of international infrastructure news to catch up with before the weekend: … [visit site to read more]
On Thursday Mark Zuckerberg revealed his plans regarding AI to Meta employees during an all-hands meeting. An aggressive push forwards is based, he says, on “really incredible breakthroughs – qualitative breakthroughs – on generative AI” and in a statement to news platform Axios revealed that this gave the opportunity to “take that technology, push it forward, and build it into every single one of our products,”
In reality, this means that generative AI text, image and video generators will be integrated into existing products including Facebook and Instagram, as well as being included in new products such as the inhouse Metamate – a productivity assistant that takes information from internal company systems to answer queries and perform tasks.
For the consumer this could mean AI tools such as ChatGPT-style chatbots for Messenger and WhatsApp and an Instagram feature that could use text prompts to modify user photos.
As recently as last month, head of infrastructure Santosh Janardhan had admitted that despite high-profile investments in AI research Meta had “significant gap in our tooling, workflows and processes when it comes to developing for AI.” And went on to say that supporting AI needed Meta to “fundamentally shift our physical infrastructure design, our software systems, and our approach to providing a stable platform”.
According to The Verge, during the meeting, Zuckerberg also commented on his vision for headsets. He explained that he didn’t envisage a person sitting on a couch by themself, as per Apple demos, but instead saw a more social vision for the metaverse and presence that was “about people interacting in new ways and feeling closer”.
How can telco companies use the metaverse? Join David Palmer – Vodafone Business, Elmar Arunov – Deutsche Telekom, Cristina Bueti – International Telecommunication Union and Masarra Mohamed – IDC at this years Total Telecom Congress. FIND OUT MORE
