Excerpts from wtop.com:
According to recent warnings issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, cyberattacks targeting law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and other emergency services are becoming increasingly common and are expected to grow in frequency. An intelligence assessment highlights that "cyberattacks on the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) will likely escalate as systems and networks become more interconnected and the ESS relies more heavily on IT for daily operations."
This assessment also notes that the interconnected nature of these systems provides more potential targets for hackers. Vulnerable systems include call-center communication management software, CCTV camera systems, interactive voice response systems, and emergency alert systems—especially wireless emergency alert systems. While hacking emergency systems isn’t exactly a novel occurrence, similar incidents trace back more than four years. One infamous case happened in February 2013.
KRTV viewers in North Central Montana encountered a typical emergency alert tone and scrolling text, but what followed caused widespread panic within emergency services. The message read: "Civil authorities in your area have reported that the dead are rising from their graves and attacking the living. Follow updates on-screen for more information. Do not attempt to confront these bodies as they are highly dangerous."
Comparable messages were later aired on WMNU-TV and WBUP-TV in the upper Michigan Peninsula region. These systems, along with others in California, New Mexico, and Utah, were compromised by a hacker who remotely accessed them via the internet due to firmware vulnerabilities. Authorities eventually managed to stop the perpetrator overseas. However, such attacks have persisted.
Even since then, the Department of Homeland Security has identified a concerning trend indicating these attacks could intensify. The DHS report mentions that approximately 600 critical government phone systems across the nation, including 200 public-safety answering points (PSAPs), experienced telephony denial-of-service (TDoS) attacks.
The following year, police departments became direct targets. In June 2014, a city in Southern California and several local public-safety agencies suffered from a ransomware attack that affected 100 computers and 10 servers. Additionally, in May 2015, a Nevada county sheriff's office and a Wisconsin police department fell victim to a ransomware attack that encrypted their shared folders.
As anticipation for a surge in attacks grows, DHS has provided a set of best practices for emergency system operators and first responders to minimize vulnerabilities. These include regularly backing up critical data, ideally on a separate device and stored offline, to mitigate data or system loss and facilitate quicker recovery. It's crucial to keep antivirus software updated alongside operating systems and software applications. Caution should always be exercised when handling emails, especially those claiming to come from trusted entities. Avoid entering personal information into pop-ups or clicking on links in unsolicited emails. Instead, access links directly through the organization’s official website. Be vigilant about URLs that closely resemble legitimate sites but differ slightly, such as slight misspellings or alternative domain extensions like .com versus .net. Exercise extreme caution when downloading files from unknown sources, as malicious code can easily hide in common file types like .doc, .pdf, .exe, and .zip, especially files with dual extensions like evil.pdf.exe. Only download software from trusted websites and ensure features are enabled to scan email attachments before downloading and storing them on a system or network.
While cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, adhering to these guidelines can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyberattacks.
Bubble Pearl Cotton Packaging Machine
Bubble Pearl Cotton Packaging Machine,Plastic Wrapping Machine,Shrink Packing Machine,Film Wrapping Machine
Wenzhou Huaze Machinery Co.,Ltd , https://www.multihz.com