A ransomware attack was able to penetrate the system of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s (CIRA) parking garage, allowing anyone to enter without security clearance and to essentially park for free. The attack lasted two days as systems were without backups and the entire system had to be restored. Operated by a private company, Precise ParkLink, CIRA said they have no knowledge of the cyber security measures at the parking company. Because the systems are not connected, the ransomware did not affect any of CIRA’s systems. It is unknown if the hackers were intending to target CIRA’s systems via the vulnerabilities found in their 3rd party operators.
Hackers have been able to exploit companies of all sizes, and being that the software is cheap and easy to use, it can be a very profitable venture for cyber criminals to target organizations with little to no cyber security.
Third party vendors for larger companies should be more aware of upcoming attacks. The focus has shifted to the smaller and more vulnerable organizations that manage the data of larger companies. For these small businesses, becoming the low lying fruit places a number of new priorities on the list, keeping their customer’s data off the Dark Web should rank near the top.