The wool industry was paralysed for several days after hackers held to ransom the IT system that governs almost all wool sales in Australia and New Zealand. More attacks are a case of if, not when.
A recent leakware attack targeting Johannesburg was the second of its kind ever recorded. Hackers demanded A$52,663 worth of bitcoins, in return for not releasing senstivie civilian information.
Richard Forno, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Ransomware has crippled governments and companies around the world, encrypting data and demanding payment for the decryption key – though that’s no guarantee of recovering the information.
Medical practices have special requirements under the Privacy Act, but the security and privacy systems some providers currently have in place may be inadequate.
As cryptocurrency systems improve, they will better protect criminals’ identities and even allow people to offer anonymous rewards for crimes they want committed.
Nir Kshetri, University of North Carolina – Greensboro
Cybercriminals increasingly depend on e-currencies to profit from their misdeeds. They, and their potential victims, could be driving some of the growth in cryptocurrency markets.
The situation of Marcus Hutchins – hailed as a hero for stopping one malware attack but charged with being involved with another – highlights the ambiguity of hacker culture.
Simply updating and patching an organisation’s computer software may not be enough to fend off another cyber attack. You could engage an ethical hacker to help out.
Nir Kshetri, University of North Carolina – Greensboro
What’s the best way for spy agencies to protect the public: secretly exploit software flaws to gather intelligence, or warn the world and avert malicious cyberattacks?