PwC warns of global cyber espionage

Hackers targetted firms' outsourced IT

PwC Isle of Man is warning local businesses of a new, sustained global cyber espionage campaign.

The accountancy firm's cyber security practice has worked with BAE Systems and other 'security community members' to uncover and disrupt what is thought to be one of the largest ever campaigns of its kind.

Known as Operation Cloud Hopper, the scale of the campaign became apparent in late 2016.

PwC has now gone public with the information as although several companies have been identified as compromised, there may be many others affected.

PwC and BAE Systems believe the hacking group, widely known as ‘APT10’, conducted the espionage campaign by targeting providers of managed outsourced IT services as a way into their customers’ organisations around the world.

This gave them 'unprecedented' access to intellectual property and sensitive data.

Steven Craven is PwC Isle of Man's cyber and data assurance senior manager.

He said: "The indirect approach of this attack highlights the need for organisations to have a comprehensive view of the threats they’re exposed to, including those of their supply chain.

"This is a global campaign which has affected many countries."

The full report is available to download and read at https://www.pwc.co.uk/issues/cyber-security-data-privacy/insights/operation-cloud-hopper.html