Ten of the Top Cybersecurity Incidents in 2024
In 2024, the cybersecurity landscape was marked by several significant incidents that impacted various sectors globally. Here are ten notable cybersecurity events from that year:
Global IT Outage Due to Faulty Software Update: In July, a defective update from CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor software caused approximately 8.5 million Microsoft Windows systems worldwide to crash. This led to widespread disruptions across sectors such as airlines, banks, and media outlets, with millions of devices displaying the "blue screen of death."
Chinese Espionage Campaign on Telecommunications: A Chinese government-affiliated hacking group, Salt Typhoon, targeted global telecommunications systems, accessing private texts and calls of numerous individuals, including U.S. political leaders. The FBI and CISA urged telecom companies to enhance network security in response.
Microsoft Email Breach by Russian Hackers: In June, Russian hackers infiltrated Microsoft's systems, accessing staff and customer emails. This breach led to regulatory scrutiny and a Congressional hearing, with Microsoft notifying affected customers and working to enhance its security practices.
DP World Cyberattack in Australia: In November, a cyberattack on DP World paralyzed imports and exports in Australia for several days. DP World accounts for about 40% of Australia's imports and exports, leading to a 30,000-container backlog and economic disruptions.
Internet Archive DDoS Attacks: In May and October, the Internet Archive suffered a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, causing intermittent service disruptions and compromising over 31 million passwords.
Reddit Ransomware Attack: In June, the ransomware gang BlackCat hacked social media website Reddit, demanding a $4.5 million ransom and reversal of API price increases. The breach led to the threat of leaking 80GB of data.
International Criminal Court Hacking Incident: In September, the International Criminal Court experienced a hacking incident, highlighting the vulnerability of global judicial institutions to cyber threats.
Pro-Russian Cyberattacks on Israel: In October, the pro-Russian hacker group Killnet launched cyberattacks against Israeli government websites, demonstrating the geopolitical dimensions of cyber warfare.
Burger Singh Website Defacement: In February, Pakistani hacker group "Team Insane PK" defaced the website of Indian food chain Burger Singh, warning Indian hackers to cease attacking Pakistani websites.
Maldives Government Websites Hacked: In January, Indian hacktivist groups targeted Maldives government websites amid diplomatic tensions, defacing sites including the Home Ministry and President's Office.
These incidents underscore the persistent and evolving nature of cyber threats, affecting a wide range of sectors and highlighting the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
