What You Risk Without Using Managed Security Services
The world is more connected than ever. Both residential and commercial properties can rely on smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) to keep things connected and make life easier. These networked devices have a downside, however. Connected devices and networks are vulnerable to attack. Without proper security, government contractor data breaches are a constant threat and can have extreme impacts on your organization.
What are you risking without using managed security services, and what are the possible ramifications of government cybersecurity breaches.? Learn more below.
Top Security Breaches of 2019
Some of the most common and severe security breaches came from the most unlikely of places.
WhatsApp, the massive chat program owned by Facebook, got breached in 2019. This attack compromised the accounts of a whopping 1.5 billion users, allowing hackers to access personal information and even install software on user’s devices.
First American Financial Corp. fell prey to hackers in 2019 as well, compromising the personal accounts of 885 million customers. This hack allowed cybercriminals to access bank transactions and personal financial information.
Miracle Systems lost email correspondence, credentials and various government agency databases, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The leaked information also included credentials for these government agencies, creating a massive security vulnerability.
Even Fortnite, the popular free-to-play battle royale video game from Epic Games, was compromised in 2019. Hackers gained access to more than 200 million player accounts, exploiting a bug that allowed them to impersonate players and make in-game purchases with the players’ credit card information.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of government contractor data breach statistics for 2019, but it does detail some of the most extensive ones of the year.
Other Extreme Breaches
More extreme breaches tend to make the news, so you may have heard of a couple of these attacks.
In 2018, the Pentagon was breached, with hackers gaining access to travel records, credit card data and personal information for up to 30,000 Defense Department employees. Experts believe the breach may have occurred months before it was actually discovered.
Palantir hired penetration testers to test their system for vulnerabilities. The testers discovered serious vulnerabilities during their exercises, suggesting the database’s internal defenses could easily be severely compromised.
The most well-known breach of 2018 was likely the Marriott International hack. The hotel chain lost information from 500 million guest accounts. Recover and repair from this breach cost the chain more than $28 million, which emphasizes the cost of cybercrime for government contractors.
Securing Your Company’s Cybersecurity
After seeing these cyber security breaches statistics, it is clear cybersecurity is no longer an option. It is a necessity to succeed and thrive in the modern networked market. To ensure your organization’s protection and avoid breaches, contact NeoSystems today to learn more about our Managed Security Services.
