A few months ago, someone might have noticed the news about one of the largest companies in the world in the field of container transport, logistics and energy, the Danish AP Møller - Mærsk A / S.
The news, reported by the main newspapers has toured the world; it is not in fact everyone openly declare losses for 300 million dollars, caused by the consequences of a cyber attack on the 27 last June and which has brought the integrated logistics system to its knees, which allows the colossal logistics operations to be managed.
The hacker attack, conducted through the use of a ransomware (a malicious software that encrypts the data and asks for a ransom to decrypt them) probably was not directed against the Danish society, it seems in fact that initially hit the financial economic fabric of Ukraine (but also the monitoring systems of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant) and only at a later time hit AP Møller - Mærsk A / S.
According to some security analysts the software used would be EternalBlue, one of the software produced by the NSA, but the attack, according to Ukrainian government sources, would be conducted by Russia against Ukraine (statements then partly reduced).
The result?
For the AP Møller - Mærsk A / S a month of almost complete stop of the logistic activities carried out at different ports in the world and a rather salty payable account: about 300 million euros!
But let's leave aside the Danish AP Møller - Mærsk A / S to talk about another article, more general, published the 18 last July on the blomberg site, com. Who writes is Oliver Suess and the article has a title too explicit: Global Cyber Attack Could Cost $ 121.4 Billion, Lloyd's Estimates.
Of course it is only an estimate (which comes from a report by Lloyd), but 121 billions of dollars are a nice figure for a cyber event, albeit world-class.
Now, if the figures provided by the Danish company are realistic, probably the global impact of the cyber event has reached the figure of several billion dollars (tens?).
Now, in my opinion, the time has come for a serious reflection on the cyber problem, a reflection that we at Defense Online are trying to bring forward.
You will probably remember the article "News on the Cyber front: the Prime Ministerial Decree of 17 February 2017 has been published", in which I concluded with my perplexity that we were talking, as often happens in Italy, of important changes to be made, however, without new burdens on the state budget!
Well, to my perplexity then I add some further consideration.
My question is as follows: if by misfortune we were to suffer an attack on the importance and size of what is happening all over the world, we will not spend (much) more than the "zero cost" mentioned in the DPCM to restore systems and services and for the firm of the systems that would derive from it?
And these costs, or as lost income in taxes or as living expenses to be incurred, would not be in any case to weigh on the coffers of the state (as well as on individuals)?
I believe that no person with reason can question it.
But then, for once, why not take the bull by the horns and finance a line of action aimed at securing Italy from cyber risks, in a coordinated and scientific way and not, as usual, leaving it to men of good will and their free initiative the responsibility of an unequal struggle?
There are many universities, industries and individuals, who are on their own to move to do what is in their power. Why not try to organize your efforts?
To learn more:
- https://www.maersk.com/
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-attack-maersk/global-shipping-f...
- https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview/MAERSKb.CO
- https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/16/maersk-says-notpetya-cyberattack-could-c...
- http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/mondo/2017-06-27/attacco-hacker-colpisce-...
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-18/global-cyber-attack-c...
- https://www.lloyds.com/news-and-insight/press-centre/press-releases/2017...
