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According to Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Cyber Report for 2022 – 2023, malicious cyber activity continues to pose a risk to Australia’s security. Cyber actors are showing the intent and capability needed to compromise vital systems.
“Over 93,000 cybercrime reports were made in the 22-23FY, averaging a report every 6 minutes.”
DP World
On Friday 10th November, DP World, a company specialising in cargo logistics and port operations on a global scale, was the victim of a large-scale cyberattack. As a result of the attack, their 4 major Australian ports shut down and network access was temporarily restricted.
It is believed that CitrixBleed, an exploit classified as “critical” by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) was used to gain access to the network. The exploit has been allowing cybercriminals to break into vulnerable IT systems across the globe since its discovery in July 2023.
How could this have been avoided?
Cyber Security needs to be made a priority for all businesses to ensure that their network is fully safeguarded from these attacks. Upon investigation, it was discovered that DP World had failed to fix its critical IT vulnerabilities in the lead-up to the attack.
The devices on their network had not been updated to remove the CitrixBleed vulnerability. The patch – a software update that removes the vulnerability – had been released over a month earlier.
Matthew Remacle, detection engineering tech lead at GreyNoise Intelligence said “The process of updating the software, and preventing this sort of attack, “isn’t complex at all”. “The unfortunate reality is that patching the devices is quite easy and painless,” he told ABC News.
The Impact
DP World Australia restricted landside access to their Australian Port Operations during the ongoing investigation into the attack. The restrictions imposed meant ships were unable to unload and freight was also barred from leaving the port site, leaving their four major Australian ports closed for days and 30,000 containers stacked up. DP World has a significant presence in Australia, handling 40% of the nation’s container trade.
In response, the company activated its emergency plans and engaged with cybersecurity experts to overcome problems caused by the incident.
The estimated damages are in the millions of dollars, as many of the stranded containers hold time-sensitive goods such as blood plasma, wagyu beef, and lobsters. Data of curent and former employees was also compromised during the attack.
R-Group’s Commitment to Cyber Security
With global software vulnerabilities growing each year, R-Group is on the front foot when it comes to cybersecurity and protecting our customer’s information. When the CitrixBleed exploit was discovered, R-Group ensured that customers who were at risk, were informed and systems were patched.
Our comprehensive Managed Service offerings ensure that your team not only gets the IT support they require but also the peace of mind of knowing that your network is being handled by our team. We ensure that your business infrastructure is patched and up to date.
We offer comprehensive Vulnerability Assessments to our customers in which our team of security engineers will assess your infrastructure to offer some insights into your company’s current security posture. Findings are then compiled into a report that outlines recommendations based on a priority scale, allowing you to prioritise and budget.
Got any questions?
Reach out to our sales team today at [email protected] and ask about our security vulnerability assessment.
