As reported by IT News, Swatch Group shut down some of its technology systems after detecting a cyberattack over the weekend, the world’s biggest watchmaker said.
Swatch Group confirms that it has identified clear signs of a developing cyber-attack on some of its IT systems during the weekend,” the company said in an emailed statement, confirming a report by Swiss news agency AWP. A shutdown of some of its systems – which the group conducted on a precautionary basis – had affected some of its operations, Swatch said, without specifying which operations were affected.
Pulling the plug in the midst of an attack may seem like a knee-jerk reaction, but this quick thinking can often save costs in the long run. In combatting a cyberattack, securing the perimeter is the first priority, but it is then vital to understand how the attack occurred and to locate and patch the weak spots.
Vulnerability analysis can take time but it is safer to patch correctly than leave yourself open to further attacks. Therefore, shutting down large parts of the business may seem brash but it is in fact safer and more cost-effective in the long run. Swatch will now have to closely monitor its rebirth and slowly bring each operation back to life in order to protect its network more securely.
Swatch watchmaker’s CIRT team gets it: time is of the essence, no pun intended. Responding quickly to what seems a bit off on an InfoSec console screen can make the difference between staring at a ransom note and saving the day.