Recently, several leading brands fell victim to cyber-attacks. Read on to learn which brands were breached, and the effect that it had on their clients.
Apple has recently revealed that the M1 processor chip, used in newly manufactured MacBooks, isn’t immune to hackers. Hackers have designed multiple malwares specifically targeting this chip, malware which can go undetected by traditional antivirus solutions. The good news is, the company quickly moves to improve security whenever a breach is identified. However, hackers are constantly working to find a way around their patches, and users can become compromised before a new malware is identified.
Kroger, a supermarket giant, fell victim to a third-party attack when hackers gained access to a vendor’s software. The company indicates that HR records, pharmacy records, and money order records may have been stolen. No credit card information or passwords were stolen, however, the compromised medical records may spell major trouble for Kroger because the federal government has strict standards companies must uphold.
Flagstar bank has also been breached as a result of a third-party attack. The vendor that they use for file sharing was breached, resulting in the exposure of customer data including but not limited to customer names and social security numbers. The hackers behind the attack threatened to publish the data publicly unless bribed in bitcoin not to do so. Flagstar has been reaching out to individual’s whose data was stolen, but if you are a customer who hasn’t heard anything, you may want to reach out to them.
Kia Motors USA experienced a major IT outage which prevented clients from doing everything from making a payment to scheduling service. The outage is speculated to have been a result of a ransomware attack, during which hackers demand cash in return for the use of a company’s systems. Kia denies that this is the reason for the outage and has yet to offer a rationale. However, customers past and present should be on high alert for phishing and other scams.
