Global cyberattack hits BBC, BA, and Nova Scotia government

A massive cyberattack has affected thousands of organizations around the world, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), British Airways (BA), and the government of Nova Scotia in Canada. The attack, which was detected on 6 June 2023, exploited a vulnerability in a popular software product called Kaseya VSA, which is used for remote management of IT systems.

The attackers, who claimed to be part of a ransomware group called REvil, demanded $70 million in cryptocurrency to unlock the encrypted files of the affected organizations. They also claimed to have compromised more than one million devices across 17 countries.

The cyberattack has disrupted the operations and services of the affected organizations, causing delays, cancellations, and outages. The BBC reported that some of its websites and radio stations were temporarily offline, while BA said that some of its flights were delayed due to IT issues. The Nova Scotia government said that some of its online services were unavailable, and that it was working to restore them as soon as possible.

The cyberattack has also raised concerns about the security and resilience of critical infrastructure and essential services, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have issued alerts and guidance to help their citizens and businesses deal with the cyberattack. They have also launched investigations to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

Author(s): Edoardo Sponzilli, INTELLIGENCE CULTURE AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS (ICSA)

Reference:  Aljazeera (2023), BBC, BA, Nova Scotia among first big-name victims in global hack, https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/6/7/bbc-ba-novia-scotia-among-first-big-name-victims-in-global-hack , Accessed on 26.07.2023