Did it seem like every month on 2015 brought a new announcement of a major company being attacked in one manner or another via cyber attacks? Well, it sure did feel like it and the statistics back up that perception. Tech Insider reports that nearly 300 million records leaked and over $1 billion were stolen in 2015. Shockingly, hackers besieged companies and governments alike month after month. No size or type of company was immune to the cyber attacks. Let’s take a look back at some of the major attacks of 2015 and what the root cause was for each.
- Ashley Madison – Â This hacking case hit not just the financial papers but the tabloids as well. An infamous adultery website exposed members and their so-called discrete affairs. A group called Impact Team stole the site’s user database in July and attempted to blackmail its parent company Avid Life Media into taking down the site. After 30 days the site still remained online, and the hackers released everything, which included personal info such as emails and physical addresses for 37 million users.
- Health Insurer Anthem, Inc. – Early in 2015 Anthem was hacked by still-unknown attackers, who accessed 80 million records from people using health plans like Amerigroup and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The breach exposed birthdays, addresses, social security numbers, and emails. There is some evidence that points the blame on Chinese hackers.
- Sony Pictures Hack – The massive cyber attack on Sony pictures allowed viewers to download and watch unreleased movies and confidential data belonging to Sony Pictures. The massive cyber attack on the company was in response to the release of “The Interview” — a controversial North Korean-baiting film, where hackers threatened 9/11 Type attack at Theaters showing this movie.
- FBI Portal Breach – A portal used by police and the FBI to share intelligence and arrest suspects was hacked in November 2015 and data on arrestees stolen. While the FBI didn’t announce figures on how many people were affected, this attack is thought to be one of the biggest law enforcement hacks of the year. This same group hacked the CIA director’s personal email!