Media giant Nikkei’s Asian unit has been hit by a ransomware attack. While the extent of the attack and whether or not customer data was leaked is still unknown, Nikkei has been forced to shut down affected servers as they investigate further. This attack follows a 2019 incident where Nikkei lost $29 million in a single wire transfer due to a business email compromise scam.
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Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Nikkei has experienced targeted cyber activity– a 2019 incident in which the company fell victim to a business email compromise scam led to the loss of $29 million in a single wire transfer. These attacks are a testament to just how at-risk organizations can be to multiple targeted cyberattacks. If anything, cybercriminals can put an even bigger target on a company’s back knowing that they have been infiltrated before.
It is crucial that companies are prepared with proper backup and recovery efforts should they fall victim to a ransomware attack or other security incidents. In the case of Nikkei, affected systems have been forced offline while the extent of the attack is investigated. To ensure that time spent offline is decreased to a minimum in similar situations, companies must prioritize best practices for backup and unplanned network downtime. A robust plan must include collecting a complete inventory of all applications, software and hardware; outlining specific individual responsibilities in the event of a disaster and ensuring those individuals understand their responsibilities; having alternative communication methods in place; and carrying out regular reviews of this plan as a whole. Additionally, automating these processes can proactively prevent outages, unnecessary downtime and attacks in general by keeping cybersecurity postures current and removing the complexity from error-prone management tasks.