This week, new warnings have been issued regarding Russian state-sponsored cyber-attacks. US and UK government officials accused the Russian government of targeting government and private organizations, including Internet Service Providers. These attacks mainly target intellectual property and ISP equipment like routers, switches and firewalls. Taking control of this equipment can give Russian actors access to company secrets and customer data. In worst-case scenarios, laid out by military officials, control of these devices also lays the groundwork to attack and bring down infrastructure like energy, shipping and communications, acting as a precursor to a physical war.
It is clear that ISPs are high-value targets for attack by foreign governments and cybercriminals, so what can you do about it?
- Change Router passwords from default settings on all customer devices.
One of the easiest ways for a network to be hijacked is through routers. Studies have shown that in their haste to install a customer’s Internet service, default passwords are often used in their homes. This is a well-known fact to hackers and using the default password is a tactic they will use to take control of a network device. - Offer and install a strong cybersecurity solution.
A network is only as strong as its weakest point. It’s important that your office and customers’ devices are protected with Internet security software to protect against malware, ransomware, cryptomining and other online threats. Code can be written and deployed that automates the take over and utilization of your devices to forward the agenda of hackers. A strong firewall is also a must to help stop the further spread of an infection across a network. - NOC Monitoring.
Being able to quickly identify and troubleshoot issues with your network is a must. With a strong network monitoring solution in place, your company will have the tools to rapidly react to outages or even notice a problem in the making.
The magnitude of this threat cannot be understated. The fact that two governments have issued this joint warning shows the importance that action is taken. SecurityCoverage can help you do your part in making sure your network is as secure as possible with products like Wi-Fi Support, Tech Home, Tech Office and SCMonitoring. Our staff is trained to help you and your customers keep their data and devices secure.
If you have any questions about how SecurityCoverage can help you be prepared, please reach out at 1-877-725-4839 or click the partnership link at the top of the page.
