The TTC has fallen victim to a ransomware attack on the 28th of October. Unfortunately, the attack went unnoticed until the day after: at this point, it was too late: the actors already got what they came for.
The attack itself is still very much on the down-low; they have promised that more information will be coming up in the upcoming days. However, in this day in age, I fear companies are still not taking IT seriously.
The CEO of the TTC, Rick O Leary, made a statement,’ It is not lost on me that organizations like ours are entrusted with significant amounts of personal information, and we must do our best to protect it.’
A phrase ‘like ours’ should be kept in mind, regardless of the size, big or small, when companies contain valuable information, precautionary steps must be taken. Remember, we want to Be Proactive, Not Reactive.
The incident also resulted in ‘a number of servers being encrypted and locked,’ and backup methods had to be utilized. Essentially the barriers of communication between vehicle operators and the wheel trans booking site were shut down.
The hackers themselves are still unknown, but it has been claimed that they belong to an ‘Extremely Well-Organised Enterprise.’ So far, there has been no suspicious activity regarding their personal information being misused for extortion.
We know these hackers have not only the names and addresses of over ‘25,000 current and former employees, but they also retained access to their Social Security Number.’ As you can see from the current situation, ransomware attacks have evolved from the simple transaction of encrypting files, asking for money, and, once paid, giving them their description key.
Holiday Tips from The Idealogical Team
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Well, it’s nearly that time of year. Black Friday has yet to arrive, and we are already finding ourselves asking the following question; How do I get everything done by Holiday.
If we fail to plan, we plan to fail, words to live by!! Now planning doesn’t necessarily mean writing a list and gathering one or two boxes; these are the steps you can follow to ensure you give yourself a stress-free Holiday.
Holiday Planner
Create a holiday planner dedicated to Holiday-themed tasks. Nothing is worse than doing everything last minute. Don’t we hate it when we have the UH OH moment, whether it’s forgetting a present, sending out seasonal cards…..Replacing that one light bulb? So get that calendar going, set a day aside for each activity/chore running up to Holidays.
Lists
Yes, we still need lists; now, we don’t have that flimsy list that is only pulled out a day before the Holidays. Instead, write up an electronic list that will allow you to tick as you go along; every iOS/android has this feature available.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be just one list; write out lists for gifts, x-mas cards, and decorations. If you want to take it one step forward, link it to your holiday planner.
The essentials
Okay, we got our lists, holiday planner…. What’s next, the stationary. Here is an excellent tip for the future, buy your wrapping paper in January and store it away with the rest of the ornaments. Now, if you’re crazy like me, do a one-stop-shop. Most seasonal stationary will carry a wide range at your local grocery store.
The budget
It’s not only the most wonderful time but the most expensive time of year. Staying organized all year round will help you out. It’s come to a point where many financial banks have saving accounts set aside for Holidays alone.
First things first, ask yourself, do I need another Christmas ornament? We both know that you have plenty from the year before. In the future, write out an inventory list of what you have and store it in a safe place.
Secondly, take out that list and give each family member a budget of how much you’ll spend on each gift. The key is to stick to it unless there are one or two favorites. Remember, keep to the list don’t make the mistake of buying two presents for one person.
A quick tip: Always buy one or two generic presents to keep aside; someone always pops over unannounced with a gift. Don’t you hate it when you don’t have something for them, well not this time?
Finally, Holiday food, the end of that grocery list, will give you nightmares. The key is to make a menu for what you will be having for Christmas day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now once that is done, set aside a tiny budget for those by-the-fire Christmas snacks.
We hope your holidays are stress-free. Join us next month for Holiday security tips with Idealogical.