Australian TV Network Services Interrupted - Binary Defense

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Threat Watch Australian TV Network Services Interrupted

Australian TV Network Services Interrupted

Reports from the Australian TV network, Nine Network, stated they were the victim of an attack that affected their services, which was similar to a ransomware attack but without a ransom demand. Some shows are back on the air, but the media and news sector of the network was heavily affected. The company suspects that the attack may have been state-sponsored. Nine Network was planning on airing a segment on the suspected use of poison by Russia’s president to kill dissidents overseas. China is also in a tense stand-off with Australia as they have levied unilateral tariffs on Australian products in response to Australia’s blocks on Chinese investments in sensitive areas and calls for an investigation into the origin of COVID-19. The attack on Nine Network came just hours after the Parliament House in Australia was hit by a suspected ransomware attack. The attack on Nine Network is the biggest the country has seen.

ANALYST NOTES

The attack is suspected to be state-backed, and both China and Russia would have reasons to take down the news section of the network. Nine Network stated they are working on restoring services. To avoid the damage and cost of a large-scale ransomware attack, Binary Defense suggests pairing anti-virus solutions with Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and a continuous monitoring and response service such as the managed security service that is offered at Binary Defense. This, along with other measures like employing phishing training and awareness, can give organizations the best chance at defending their data. Having a regular backup schedule and disaster recovery plan are both important for organizations to get back to full operation quickly if an attack occurs.

More can be read here: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/aussie-tv-network-taken-off-air-by/
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/nine-cyber-attack-has-all-the-hallmarks-of-ransomware-without-the-ransom-20210329-p57eum.html