The Top 5 Cyberattacks of 2024: Lessons and Takeaways for Every Organization
2024: A Year of Eye-Opening Cybersecurity Challenges
This year has been a whirlwind for cybersecurity, with some of the most devastating and eye-opening cyberattacks making headlines. From ransomware shutting down healthcare systems to espionage campaigns targeting critical infrastructure, these incidents have sent shockwaves through industries worldwide.
Why do these attacks matter to your organization and everyday life? Understanding what happened, why it matters, and the lessons we can take away is key in a world where cyber threats are only getting more sophisticated.
We need to learn from our mistakes, it’s that simple.
1. Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack
What Happened
The Alphv/BlackCat ransomware attack on Change Healthcare and its parent company UnitedHealth sent shockwaves through the healthcare industry, impacting over 100 million individuals. According to reports, the attackers exploited vulnerabilities in the company’s infrastructure to encrypt data and exfiltrate private health information, including diagnoses, treatment records, and financial details. The breach disrupted critical healthcare operations across the United States, forcing some facilities to delay treatments and even cancel appointments. Investigations revealed that the attackers used advanced tactics to maintain persistence in the network, escalating the damage over time before their demands surfaced.
Why It Matters
This attack isn’t just about numbers—it’s about lives. The stolen data is not only highly sensitive but also incredibly valuable on the black market, where medical records can fetch significantly higher prices than credit card information. The attackers not only encrypted critical files but also demanded a hefty ransom of $22 million. With Change Healthcare serving as a linchpin in healthcare operations for hospitals, clinics, and insurers nationwide, the attack demonstrated just how crippling a breach at such scale can be. It also exposed the healthcare sector’s ongoing struggles with outdated cybersecurity measures, making it a prime target for sophisticated ransomware groups.
The Takeaway
The Change Healthcare ransomware attack is a stark reminder of the stakes involved when cybercriminals target the healthcare sector. Beyond the immediate operational and financial fallout, the long-term consequences for affected individuals—identity theft, fraud, or even compromised patient care—are immense.
Watch an Exclusive Interview: Learn from James Case, CISO of a major healthcare system, as he discusses the impact of this attack. Watch Here.
2. China’s Cyber Espionage Campaign Targeting U.S. Telecommunications
What Happened
China’s Salt Typhoon group has ramped up its cyber espionage operations, targeting U.S. telecommunications networks to steal sensitive communications data. These attacks have been ongoing for months, starting well before the U.S. election, and have involved highly sophisticated techniques, including the exploitation of vulnerabilities in key systems such as Cisco routers and Microsoft Exchange servers. The breach affected major telecoms like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. While T-Mobile assured that no sensitive customer data was compromised, the campaign’s larger focus was clearly on high-value government and political targets, showcasing its national security implications
Why It Matters
Senator Mark Warner, speaking to The Washington Post, emphasized the severity of the attacks, stating, “My hair is on fire” because of the sustained nature of these intrusions. These attacks are far more advanced than previous incidents like the SolarWinds supply chain attack or the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. The Salt Typhoon campaign has given Chinese operatives a persistent foothold in U.S. telecom networks, potentially requiring the replacement of “thousands and thousands” of switches and routers. This shows just how vulnerable our most critical infrastructure has become. With these networks integral to national defense and public communications, an attack of this scale not only affects business but could disrupt entire government operations and defense strategies.
The Takeaway
Senator Warner’s comparison of China’s cyber actions to Russia’s cyber incidents, calling them “child’s play,” highlights the growing complexity and scale of cyber warfare from nation-states. This attack is a wake-up call for the private sector and government alike to seriously address vulnerabilities in telecommunications infrastructure.
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3. AT&T’s Data Breach Affects Nearly All Customers
What Happened
Hackers breached AT&T’s systems, stealing 50 billion call and text records. The stolen data included call logs, text message metadata, and who communicated with whom—but not the content of messages. AT&T publicly confirmed the breach in July, acknowledging that “nearly all” its cellular and landline customers were affected, with approximately 110 million individuals being notified.
Why It Matters
The breach highlights the risks of third-party data storage and the value of metadata, even without message content. It also underscores the importance of third-party risk management.
The Takeaway
Ensure continuous monitoring and simulation of potential third-party risks. Comprehensive tabletop exercises can uncover vulnerabilities in your supply chain.
Take the Next Step: How OnDefend can help your company prepare for these challenges by running comprehensive tabletop exercises designed to uncover vulnerabilities in your supply chain. Learn More.
4. Ticketmaster and Snowflake Attack
What Happened
While the Ticketmaster and AT&T attack may be tied, they we’re both impactful enough to generate their own headlines.In May, cybercriminal group ShinyHunters stole the personal data of 560 million Ticketmaster customers worldwide by exploiting stolen login credentials for Snowflake, the company Ticketmaster uses for cloud storage. The breach included names, contact details, and encrypted credit card information. The hackers reportedly attempted to sell the stolen data for $500,000 on a dark web forum. Ticketmaster delayed notifying customers, citing ongoing police investigations, and recently began sending warning emails to customers in North America.
Why It Matters
The scale of the attack—impacting over half a billion users—raises serious concerns about the security of sensitive customer data stored on cloud platforms. The delay in notifying customers further compounds the issue, as it leaves individuals exposed to potential identity theft and fraud for an extended period.
The Takeaway
Same as above. Love the cloud? Then love regular audits and rock-solid configuration controls even more.
5. Synnovis Ransomware Attack on London Hospitals
What Happened
The Synnovis ransomware group targeted London’s healthcare infrastructure, leading to widespread disruption. Synnovis, which provides laboratory and diagnostic services to hospitals, became a prime target for the Qilin ransomware gang, who successfully encrypted critical data using a combination of phishing and exploitation of vulnerabilities. This attack left hospitals struggling to process medical results, impacting patient care and hospital operations. The breach also forced the affected hospitals to switch to manual processes, delaying diagnostic services and causing significant operational chaos.
Why It Matters
Ransomware gangs are increasingly targeting the backbone of healthcare—laboratory services and diagnostic systems. These operations are integral to patient care, and a disruption of such services can have a ripple effect throughout the healthcare ecosystem, potentially putting lives at risk.
The Takeaway
Implement stringent vendor management, comprehensive cybersecurity protocols, and continuity plans to mitigate such attacks.
Discover How: Prepare and defend your organization from ransomware with OnDefend’s Ransomware Defense Validation. Learn More.
The Final Word
These attacks are more than headlines—they’re impacting our everyday lives. No industry is safe, and the general public is becoming more aware of the impact these cyberattacks can cause on our critical healthcare services to the daily use of our cell phones. While we can prevent all risk associated with an attack, we can reduce it. Let’s learn from our past.
Contact Us Today: Learn how OnDefend helps companies prepare for and defend against real-world threats. Get Started.
About OnDefend
OnDefend, established in 2016, stands at the forefront of preventative cybersecurity testing and advisory services, a reputation further enhanced by the introduction of its advanced Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, BlindSPOT. OnDefend is a trusted partner, empowering organizations globally to proactively combat real-world cyber threats. From ensuring compliance with industry standards to building out mature security programs, our mission is to ensure that the security resources our customers invest in are well-utilized, effective, and provide tangible results. For more information about their services and solutions, please visit http://www.ondefend.com/
OnDefend Media Contact:
Lauren Verno, Media@ondefend.com
904-299-3669
Sources:
Qilin ransomware gang linked to attack on London hospitals, Bleeping Computer
Snowflake hackers identified and charged with stealing 50 billion AT&T records
Ticketmaster warns customers to take action after hack, BBC News
China has utterly pwned ‘thousands and thousands’ of devices at US telcos, The Register