Petya-style cyberattack surfaces

Google has warned that its Threat Analysis Group has picked up pernicious developments among hackers of Russian and Belarussian origin, fuelling fears of a global cyber breach like 2017’s Petya attack.

The Petya hack had a major impact on Maersk, then still the world’s leading line by capacity, resulting in a wholesale systems shutdown on June 28 of that year*.

The viral tentacles of that breach eventually spread to 150 countries, affecting more than 2 000 companies reliant on Maersk shipments.

As a result of the Google warning, the shipping industry has been placed on high alert.

The warning is also in keeping with a similar warning by ratings agency Fitch, who recently said countries exposed to Russian ire because of sanctions, might find themselves targeted by a malware backlash.

Adding to the portents of cyber doom, especially as news of perceived hacking threats against lines continue to filter through, are the threats by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that there will be consequences for the ports freeze against his country.

These threats were uttered despite lines like Maersk clearly stating that vessels no longer calling at Russian ports, in solidarity with the growing global response against the war in Ukraine, will not include the delivery of food and humanitarian goods such as medicine and related supplies.

2017’s debilitating effect on Maersk and others by the Petya attack is not the only breach that caused significant security concerns for countries, multinational companies and their clients.

Last year, the largest facility for moving refined oil through the US, the Colonial Pipeline, had its operations disrupted by a ransomware attack that resulted in the relevant entity overseeing the line being robbed of 75 bitcoins ($4,4 million).

It was the worst attack of its kind on American soil and resulted in an oil-feed impact affecting 17 states.

In the end, only $2.3 million in bitcoin were recovered by the FBI.

* Read this for context: https://tinyurl.com/3rvtwye7.