As reported by the Daily Mail, confidential information held by some of Britain’s police forces has been stolen by Russian hackers in a security breach. The cyber-criminal gang Clop has released some of the material it plundered from an IT firm that handles access to the police national computer (PNC) on the so-called ‘dark web’ – with the threat of more to follow.
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<p>You may think that sensitive data held by police is under very strong protection but the truth is that even this level of security can still very easily be breached. The level of cybersecurity protection on offer remains as strong as the weakest link, which is often swung by the human factor. The release of personal information amplifies the attackers’ demands and highlights their anger at not having their demands listened to. </p>
<p>Like many persistent campaigns, Clop are very sophisticated and determined in their ways, making it very difficult to mitigate against. When very targeted attacks persist, it is very onerous to withstand and therefore relying on current measures with a touch of good fortune is often the only answer. The release of this data could have very dangerous consequences for those affected and they should ideally be made aware to reduce any follow on impact.</p>