Browsing: Threats & Incidents

Human error is responsible for approximately 88% of data breaches, as highlighted by Stanford University research. Notable incidents include the SolarWinds attack in March 2020, which affected 18,000 customers, and a $37.3 million Business Email Compromise (BEC) incident at Toyota Boshoku Corporation in August 2019. These breaches emphasize the critical need for organizations to invest in employee training and adopt security frameworks like Zero Trust to mitigate risks associated with human factors in cybersecurity.

In 2017, several major cloud security breaches occurred, affecting organizations like Accenture, Verizon, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Accenture exposed over 137GB of sensitive data due to unsecured AWS S3 buckets, while Verizon’s vendor mishandled customer data, compromising millions of records. These incidents highlight significant risks in cloud storage security and the potential for misuse of exposed personal information.

Japan’s Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry reported that cyber attacks on the nation’s critical infrastructure reached 128 billion, a 2.4-fold increase from the previous year. Half of these attacks originated from China, primarily targeting Internet of Things (IoT) devices like webcams and routers. The shift in focus to public utility systems, including government websites and power grids, raises concerns about potential political and financial instability in Japan.