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The massive cybersecurity breach known as the SolarWinds attack was directed at the clients and US IT firm SolarWinds.
Billions of dollars were lost due to the harm, regarded as the most significant and complex hacking effort ever. It affected more than 18,000 systems globally.
Hackers could spy on US government agencies and commercial enterprises by infecting the Orion framework with malicious malware through a supply chain attack.
What is SolarWinds?
Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, SolarWinds is a well-known software provider that serves hundreds of thousands of organizations worldwide with additional technical services and system management solutions for network and infrastructure monitoring.
One of the company’s offerings is the Orion IT performance monitoring solution.SolarWinds Orion has unique access to IT systems as an IT monitoring system, allowing it to obtain log and system performance data.
Because of its advantageous position and vast deployment, SolarWinds was a desirable and profitable target.
SolarWinds Attack Explained!
The SolarWinds cyber attack timeline stretched over six months.
High-ranking US government departments, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Treasury Department, as well as private businesses like FireEye, were monitored by the hackers using this attack.
The attack was a complex series of actions that the attackers took to mask their tracks. The attackers managed to get around SolarWinds’ threat detection methods, other private companies, and the federal government.
The attackers managed the intrusion through multiple servers based in the United States and mimicked legitimate network traffic. They could execute the hack patiently and systematically over six months.
The SolarWinds violence is ongoing, and investigators have a lot of material to look through as several firms that use the Orion program are still trying to figure out whether or not it has infected them with the backdoor virus.
The attackers used the Orion program as a weapon in this worldwide breach, giving them access to several nations and thousands of private systems worldwide.
Due to the nature of the software, having access to it gave the hackers access to sensitive data and information.
Who Was Behind the Attack?
The Russian intelligence agency is reportedly in charge of Nobelium, which was responsible for the hack. However, the attackers have managed to conceal their tracks so effectively that detectives cannot identify them with surety.
Nobelium, the criminal group behind the SolarWinds breach, has launched several cyberattacks.
Microsoft disclosed in May 2021 that Nobelium launched a hacking effort targeting government agencies, consultancies, and non-governmental organizations.
The setup of a backdoor that gave the hackers access to the victim’s machine was made possible via a link in the emails.
Also connected to earlier intrusions is the organization responsible for the 2016 DNC breach.
How Did the SolarWinds Attack Occur?
Attackers changed the software code of SolarWinds, a third-party provider, built a system that used domain names to choose targets, and imitated the communication protocols used by Orion software.
They got around the threat detection techniques that the federal government and other companies, including SolarWinds, employed.
Using many US servers, the attackers could control the incursion while imitating authentic network activity. Over six months, the hack was carried out gradually and with patience. The primary turning points of the attack were as follows:
- Hackers were able to gain access to the SolarWinds network in September 2019.
- In October 2019, they began testing their code insertion in Orion.
- On February 20, 2020, four months later, they introduced the deadly virus known as Sunburst into Orion.
- 26 March 2020 The hackers started their attack methodically and gradually throughout the six-month SolarWinds attack period.
How Long Did it Take to Detect the Solarwinds Attack, and Why?
The intricacy of the Sunburst code and the hackers that carried out the attacks play a significant role in the mystery of why it took so long to discover the SolarWinds attack.
The attackers controlled the breach across many servers in the United States and impersonated legal network traffic, allowing them to avoid threat detection systems used by SolarWinds, other private organizations, and the federal government.
The attackers could carry out the breach calmly and methodically over six months, making it difficult to detect.
The attackers were also cautious to hide their tracks, making it challenging to identify the source of the attack.
The attack is still ongoing, and since many businesses employing the Orion software are unsure if they are free of the backdoor spyware, investigators have a lot of data to go through. The entire impact of the breach won’t be known for a while.
Other Types of Cyber Attacks
The SolarWinds attack was a significant cybersecurity breach that affected SolarWinds, a US information technology firm, and its clients.
The episode is believed to be the most extensive and most sophisticated hacking campaign ever conducted against the federal government and private sector.
Here are some other types of cyberattacks that are of the same magnitude as the SolarWinds attack
NotPetya
In 2017, a ransomware outbreak known as NotPetya attacked companies in Ukraine. The attack quickly spread to countries nearby, causing damage valued at billions of dollars. NotPetya is believed to have been created by Russian hackers.
WannaCry
Over 200,000 devices across 150 countries were impacted by the ransomware outbreak known as WannaCry in 2017. Hackers from North Korea are thought to have been responsible for the assault, which took advantage of a flaw in Windows.
Equifax
One hundred forty-seven million people were affected by the Equifax data breach in 2017. Due to a bug in the company’s website software, hackers could get sensitive data, including social security numbers and credit card details.
Target
In 2017, 147 million people were impacted by the Equifax data hack. Due to a flaw in the website software of the business, sensitive information such as credit card details and social security numbers were taken by the attackers during the breach.
How Large Organizations Can Prevent Such Cyber Attacks?
Organizations can take several steps to prepare to deal with SolarWinds-type cyber attacks. Here are some of the critical steps that organizations can take:
- Protect your databases and networks
Set up firewalls and encrypt data to safeguard your networks from attackers. Encrypt your WiFi network and password, and be cautious regarding the data saved in business databases.
Depending on the company’s activities, automatic data backups should be programmed to run once a day or once a week. This increases the possibility of not losing all data in a cyber assault, which is a regular problem.
- Examine network records for traffic
Companies should assess their capacity to examine and analyze archived network traffic logs. They may use this to find any questionable activities and possibly even breaches.
- Collaborate with other companies
Working together is essential for cybersecurity. Companies must collaborate to exchange information on possible dangers and weak points.
- Understand your system inside and out
Organizations should be fully aware of their system. They should be mindful of the software and hardware used, the stored data, and who has access to it.
- Create an incident response strategy
A cyber attack incident response plan should be developed by the organization, including the steps it would take to defend itself. Identifying and stopping the attack, alerting clients, and regaining access to systems and data should all be part of the approach.
Security Is An Ongoing Process!
The need for internet security is brought home sharply by the SolarWinds hack. Protecting digital assets is not just a need but also a choice in a time when cyber threats are becoming more complex.
The event highlights how important it is to have robust cybersecurity safeguards in place and how important it is for every person and business to prioritize investing in cutting-edge security solutions to guard against ever-evolving online dangers.
Internet security is now a basic need in our globally linked world, not an extravagance.
Marrium Akhtar
November 8, 2023
6 months ago
