You might think all cyber attacks are incredibly complex endeavours perpetrated by a network of masked geniuses. In reality, many of the most famous attacks aren’t the most sophisticated, but surprisingly preventable.
With TryHackMe, you can test yourself in cybersecurity challenges and courses inspired by real-world environments and events like those below.
WannaCry (2017)
On the 12th of May 2017, a ransomware virus – which encrypts data on infected computers and demands a ransom payment to restore access – known as WannaCry spread worldwide, disrupting organisations such as the UK’s NHS. The malware exploited a known vulnerability in Windows systems that had already been patched, but many organisations hadn’t installed the update.
WannaCry caused severe disruption, with thousands of appointments and operations cancelled and dozens of trusts affected. It demonstrated how a relatively simple weakness, such as failing to patch vulnerable systems, could have huge repercussions.
Uber (2022)
When Uber suffered a major breach in 2022, it didn’t begin with an advanced piece of malware or particularly sophisticated methods. All it took was an 18-year-old attacker who obtained the login credentials of a third-party contractor who, according to Uber, likely purchased it on the dark web.
As reported by Bleeping Computer, the attacker posed as a member of Uber IT, contacted the contractor via WhatsApp and convinced them to accept a two-factor authentication request.
SolarWinds (2020)
Most cyberattacks involve malicious files or suspicious links. The SolarWinds attack took a totally different approach by infiltrating the company’s software development process itself. The attackers inserted malicious code into legitimate updates for SolarWinds’ Orion monitoring platform, one used by IT professionals across government agencies and major companies across the globe.
The breach became one of the most significant supply-chain attacks ever uncovered and stood as a stark reminder that danger could lurk in the tools we trust the most.
Ready to see if you can spot the clues?
The biggest takeaway from the cybersecurity breaches above isn't how sophisticated their technology was, but how people didn’t spot the vulnerabilities right in front of them. Cybersecurity may be technical, but it’s far more important to be a good investigator first. Why not test your skills with TryHackMe, a platform designed for first-time learners interested in investigating attacks through real-world scenarios.
