DailyPost 2993
BRAIN CIPHER HACKS DELOITTE
Getting hacked is the new normal has become a truism by now. The question is not whether you would get hacked or not, the question now is when will you get hacked? This is the world we live in. We have numerous instances of cyber security and highly cyber secure IT companies getting hacked, adding insult to injury. Now it’s the turn of one of the Big Four, together they have declared themselves the Ivy League of the accounting / auditing world. The all-knowing firms have not left cyber security out of their offerings. Making hay as long as the sun shines seems to be the operating principle, finally falling as a victim itself.
Given this backdrop and the standing of the Big Four globally, even though they have been caught at times on the wrong foot, the recent hacking of Deloitte, UK, is certainly a watershed event. Brain Cipher Ransomware Group has allegedly stolen 1TB of sensitive data from Deloitte. The group has gone in for victim shaming as well, passing the most snide remark ever showered on this consulting firm. “We will show excellent (not) monitoring work, and tell what tools we used, and use there today.” Brain cipher group said.
Referring to Deloitte, Brain Cipher says, unfortunately, giant companies do not always do their job well. It goes on to say that even ‘elementary points’ of information security are also not observed. Brain Cipher is a notorious ransomware group. It is globally notorious for its attacks on organizations worldwide in a short period since its emergence in June 2024. This gang has also been responsible for a significant attack on Indonesia’s National Data Center, disrupting services of over 200 government agencies including immigration and passport control. In a world of claims and counterclaims, for sure this attack has exposed critical vulnerabilities in Deloitte UK’s critical infrastructure.
If whatever has been claimed so far by the ransomware gang is true, then it does not augur well for the consulting major. Brian Cipher has announced that it would be releasing detailed information about the breach. This would focus on evidence of alleged security protocol violations, detailing their monitoring systems and security tools and analyse the contractual agreements between Deloitte and its clients. They would also be providing examples of compromised data. The ransomware gang has offered Deloitte to engage in private discussions, clearly hinting at the likely ransomware demand. It is going to get impacted comprehensively, mostly importantly, the firm’s professional reputation, which seems to have taken a dent already. Deloitte UK is yet to confirm or deny.
CYBER SECURITY IS A CORE BUSINESS TASK TODAY, IT CANNOT DEALT CASUALLY.
Sanjay Sahay