UK Retailer Halts Online Sales Following Cyberattack

cyberattack, Incident response plan, Marks and Spencer, Ophtek, Ransomware, software updates, Zero Trust, , , , , , , ,
20
May 2025

A major UK retailer has had to suspend all online sales due to a cyberattack which has struck deep at the heart of its operations. 

Founded in 1884, Marks and Spencer has served British shoppers for nearly 150 years. In 1999, they launched their online shopping service, and by 2024 they could count 9.4 million active customers on their online platforms. Clearly, their online operations are significant. But this also makes them a tempting target for threat actors looking for either financial gain or the opportunity to simply cause digital chaos.

For Marks and Spencer, this cyberattack has proved costly both in terms of revenue and reputation. And a similar fate could easily be awaiting your business.

How Cybercriminals Disrupted Marks and Spencer’s Operations

Following the Easter holiday weekend, Marks and Spencer was forced into announcing that they had suspended all online sales. Over the weekend, they revealed they had become aware of a major cyberattack affecting their services. Contactless payments in their stores had been failing and their online click-and-collect service had also been affected, with shoppers unable to log into the in-store system to verify their purchases. Several days later, the ability to make online purchases was still unavailable, with many of Marks and Spencer’s international online platforms also suspended.

The exact nature of the attack has not been disclosed yet, with the retailer simply explaining that there has been a cybersecurity incident and that they’re working with experts to resolve this. The official line is that customers do not need to worry about this attack, but with 9 million customers’ details at risk, there is clearly cause for concern. Rumors persist that Marks and Spencer has been the victim of a ransomware attack, but this is purely speculation. Nonetheless, independent security experts have advised customers to keep an eye on their bank statements.

Simple Steps to Shield Your Business from Cyber Threats

Around a quarter of Marks and Spencer’s sales come from their online shopping service, so this cyberattack represents a major blow to their revenue. Additionally, whatever this lapse in security is, it will stick in the minds of shoppers for a long time, potentially encouraging them to take their purchases elsewhere.

So, in an age where e-commerce is such an important aspect of business, it’s crucial that your business knows how to protect itself from similar attacks. To help you keep your defenses in shape, make sure you follow these best practices:

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Hackers Unmasked: Who Are They and What Motivates Them?

Black Hat, Hackers, Hacktivists, malware, Ophtek, Phishing, security, White Hat, , , , , , , ,
19
Nov 2024

The headlines generated by cybersecurity attacks always focus on the damage caused by hackers, but who exactly are the hackers and why do they hack?

Financial losses associated with cybercrime hit a mighty $12.5 billion in 2023, so it’s clear to see that hackers have a major impact on society. And yet we know so little about them. Characterized as shady, hidden figures, hackers rely on this mysterious air to create panic and fear when they strike. Technically savvy, they pose a major threat to computer systems all over the world, and they often get away with it through a mixture of ingenuity and bravado.

To help you understand their motives better, we’re going to pull back the digital curtain and show you who these hackers are and what drives them to attack IT infrastructures.

The Main Types of Hackers

There are many different types of hackers, with different methods of operation and varying skillsets. The main variants you’re likely to encounter are:

  • Black Hat Hackers: Perhaps the most infamous type of hacker, black hat hackers are regularly discussed on the Ophtek blog due to their love of breaking into IT systems. Their main activities involve launching malware, compromising software vulnerabilities, and setting up phishing campaigns.
  • White Hat Hackers: In contrast to their black hat counterparts, white hat hackers are a force for good. Typically, they work in conjunction with organizations to identify weak spots in their IT security e.g. demonstrating where software vulnerabilities are present or highlighting the use of default passwords on routers.
  • Hacktivists: These hackers aren’t out to commit cybercrime in the same way as a black hat hacker, but hacktivists operate on the wrong side of the law in order to bring about social or political change. A good example of this can be found in the 2022 attacks launched against Russian websites by the hacking group Anonymous, an attack designed in response to the Russian war on Ukraine.

What are the Motivations Behind Hacking?

Every hack will have a motive behind it and it’s important to understand these motives in order to better protect our computer systems. The main driving forces behind cyberattacks include:

  • Financial Gain: As with all crime, money acts as a significant motivating factor. Stolen credentials, for example, can be sold on the dark web for large amounts of cash. Likewise, the rise of Malware-as-a-Service has proved highly lucrative for hackers and been responsible for some devastating attacks.
  • Challenging Themselves: Hackers love the prestige of a successful hack, and this hit of dopamine is enough to encourage them to set about launching increasingly audacious attacks. This not only challenges them and provides a firm motivation, but it also encourages them to hone their skills and make their attacks harder to defend against.
  • Personal Grievances: Often, the main motivation behind a hack is simply a slice of old-fashioned revenge. An ex-employee, perhaps terminated unfairly in their eyes, may seek revenge by exploiting their knowledge of an organization’s IT system. This insider knowledge may offer them the opportunity to strike back and hurt the organization.

Final Thoughts

Hackers, with their varying objectives and motivations, are a complex set of individuals and groups. While some may be a force for good, just as many have taken up their craft to inflict damage and benefit financially from their digital chaos. Whatever their circumstances, one thing remains clear: it’s crucial to strengthen your IT systems against all threats all the time.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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CrowdStrike Causes Unprecedented Global IT Outage

Cloud Storage, CrowdStrike, cybersecurity, Ophtek, Updates, vulnerability, Windows update, , , , , ,
23
Jul 2024

One of the world’s biggest ever IT failures has caused chaos for major IT infrastructures all over the world. And it was all thanks to a CrowdStrike update.

The damage was caused by a content update for Windows issued by CrowdStrike, a major player when it comes to cybersecurity firms. However, rather than providing an enhanced experience for Windows users, it resulted in many users finding that their PCs crashed. The ‘blue screen of death’ was a common sighting and numerous applications were rendered unusable. The CrowdStrike glitch wasn’t restricted to a small number of individuals either, it went all away the round and affected major organizations.

Understanding the CrowdStrike Flaw

CrowdStrike has been providing security solutions since 2011, and it now offers a wide range of security services. These are provided through cloud-based platforms and have seen CrowdStrike’s profile rise significantly. However, their recent update for their application Falcon Sensor – which analyzes active processes to identify suspicious activity – is responsible for the worldwide outage of IT systems.

Falcon Sensor runs within Windows and, as such, interacts directly with the Windows operating system. Falcon Sensor’s main objective is to protect IT systems from security attacks and system failures, but their latest update achieved the complete opposite. As a result of faulty code within the update, Falcon Sensor malfunctioned and compromised the systems it had been installed on. This led to IT systems crashing and unable to be rebooted.

CrowdStrike were quick to identify the fault as a result of their update, and reassured the global community this was not a global cyberattack. With the fault identified and isolated, CrowdStrike rapidly developed a fix. But the damage had already been done, and many systems remained offline due to the disruption.

Who Was Affected by the CrowdStrike Glitch?

The impact of the faulty CrowdStrike update was of a magnitude rarely seen in the IT world. With many IT infrastructures relying on Windows, countless systems crashed all over the world. Airport services were badly hit, and lots of airlines had to ground their planes due to IT issues. Banks and credit card providers were also affected, and numerous organizations were unable to take card payments as a result. Healthcare services, too, felt the full impact of the glitch and struggled to book appointments and allocate staff shifts.

The Aftermath of the CrowdStrike Disaster

Disruption to IT systems was still evident days after the CrowdStrike incident, and it’s expected this disruption will continue. Matters weren’t helped by the simultaneous failure of Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing platform, which also created a major outage.

While the outages were caused by a technical glitch, CrowdStrike issued an announcement the day after that cybercriminals may be targeting affected systems. Evidence in Latin America indicated CrowdStrike customers were being targeted by a malicious ZIP archive which contains HijackLoader, a module used to install various strains of malware.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, this digital catastrophe was caused by a faulty piece of code, and Microsoft currently estimate it affected 8.5 million Windows devices. It could easily happen again and reinforces the need for good backup protocols, such as the 3-2-1 backup method. The CrowdStrike glitch may have been unforeseen, but with the correct preparation, you can minimize the impact of future incidents on your IT systems.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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Cuttlefish Malware is Putting Your Routers at Risk

bash script, brute force hacking, Cuttlefish, Data Breach, HiatusRAT, malware, Ophtek, router firmware update, zero-day vulnerabilities, , , , , , , ,
11
Jun 2024

A new strain of malware, dubbed Cuttlefish, which attempts to hijack your router has been discovered, and it poses a major threat to your data.

The experts at Black Lotus Labs recently discovered a number of routers had been compromised by a previously unseen malware. The security researchers named the malware Cuttlefish, and found it had compromised numerous enterprise-level and small office/home routers. The threat actors are not currently known, but the main impact of Cuttlefish is that it stealthily steals data once it has a foothold. Data breaches, of course, represent a major incident for businesses, so it’s crucial you keep your routers safe.

Decoding the Danger Behind Cuttlefish

The exact attack method behind Cuttlefish is unknown, but it’s been revealed there are similarities between its source code and that of the HiatusRAT malware. Black Lotus Labs believe Cuttlefish may launch its attack either through a zero-day vulnerability or by using good old fashioned brute force hacking methods.

Whatever the nature of its attack, which was first executed in July 2023, Cuttlefish hands control of the compromised router over to a set of threat actors. This is achieved by instructing an infected router to execute a Bash script – a text file containing a set of commands – which sends data to a remote Command & Control (C2) server. The first action taken by the C2 server is to send back the Cuttlefish malware, this is then installed on the compromised router.

From here, Cuttlefish can monitor all traffic passing through the router and any devices connected to it. Cleverly, Cuttlefish is designed to establish a VPN tunnel, which is then used to extract sensitive data, such as login credentials, from the router’s traffic. These attack methods mark Cuttlefish out as a highly stealthy and dangerous strain of malware, one with the ability to expose and misuse confidential data.

Fighting Back Against the Threat of Cuttlefish

As very little of the mechanics behind Cuttlefish are known, it’s difficult to pinpoint a single solution. For now, all the attacks have been focused on routers based in Turkey. But this can quickly change if threat actors behind Cuttlefish decide to start targeting global victims.

While there isn’t, for example, a simple security patch to install, you can still protect your organization’s routers by following these best security practices:

  • Always Install Updates: routers, like all hardware, rely on firmware updated and patches to maintain their security and maximize performance. But not everyone prioritizes installing these updates. And this approach can put your router at risk of being exploited by a vulnerability. Therefore, where possible, automate updates for your routers (and all devices) or manually install updates as soon as possible.
  • Regularly Change Your Router Credentials: it’s vital you regularly change the password associated with your router. Otherwise, you run the risk of allowing external threats to essentially live on your router. And as well as regularly changing your password, it’s important that you generate strong and unique passwords every time.
  • Monitor Network Traffic: unusual activity on your network, such as high-volume traffic to unknown destinations should always be scrutinized. Accordingly, you need to implement specialized software and hardware tools to analyze your network traffic and raise alerts when abnormal traffic patters are detected. This will maintain both the integrity and security of your network.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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The Best Ways to Secure Your Digital Documents

Backup, Data Breach, Data Security, digital documents, Ophtek, password protection, strong passwords, windows encryption, , , , , , ,
14
May 2024

Every business relies on digital documents, but the threat of data breaches and cyberattacks mean these documents must be correctly secured.

There are many types of documents a business uses daily such as Word, Excel, PDF, and digital images. All of these can contain sensitive information, and it’s no surprise threat actors want to get their hands on them. Not only can a threat actor use these to compromise other accounts, but they can cause real financial damage with them. Accordingly, it makes sense to secure your organization’s digital documents to keep them safe.

Securing Your Digital Documents

Your business may contain numerous files in different locations, but the good news is that securing all of them is straightforward. Just make sure you follow these best practices:

  • Password Protection: the simplest way to secure your digital documents is by implementing password protection. A common security measure for decades, passwords put a major barrier in the way of unauthorized access. Not all files can be password protected, but common files such as Microsoft 365 documents and Adobe PDF documents can.
  • Use Strong Passwords: central to good password protection is strong passwords. Never use passwords which are easy to guess e.g. using “password” or “admin”. Instead, always use passwords which combine upper and lower case characters with numbers and symbols. It’s also recommended that passwords are longer than 8 characters and different passwords should be used for different documents.
  • Restrict Access: it’s important to remember not every employee needs access to every single file within your organization. Your marketing team, for example, doesn’t need access to your finance team’s documents and vice-versa. Accordingly, you need to restrict access to only those who need it. The best way to achieve this is by setting up ‘restricted’ drives for each team to store their department-specific documents.
  • Use Windows Encryption: compromised devices present a goldmine of data for threat actors, but it’s possible to avoid this disaster by encrypting your devices. Yes, if you’re running Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise versions, it’s possible to encrypt data and provide access only to those with authorization. This is easy to put in place and, if Windows encryption is not available on the device, you may still be able to use BitLocker encryption to encrypt it.
  • Always Create Backups: in the event of a ransomware attack, your organization could find all of its documents encrypted and inaccessible. This is why creating backups is the surest way to enhance the security of your digital documents. The preferred method for executing this is with the 3-2-1 backup method, as this provides you with multiple copies in different locations. Complete loss of your data is minimized and there’s no need to pay any ransom fees.

Final Thoughts

All it takes is for a single file to be compromised by threat actors to cause major damage, so it’s crucial that you prioritize securing your digital documents. Putting the suggestions above into practice is relatively easy, and it ensures your data remains safe. So, don’t delay, secure your digital documents today and benefit from the peace of mind it provides.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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