Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
1. The Communications Workers Union (CWU) is currently investigating a cyberattack that has caused an IT and email outage.
2. Some systems have been pulled offline as a precaution while third-party cybersecurity experts assess the situation.
The CWU, one of the UK’s largest trade unions, has confirmed that its IT systems have been targeted in a cyberattack, leading to email services being down. The extent of the attack is still being assessed by cybersecurity experts on site since March 21. While it is unclear whether any data breach has occurred, the union has notified the Information Commissioner’s Office and advised its members to be cautious of phishing emails. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining robust backups in case of system breaches.
The source of the attack is still unknown, and claims made by an insider regarding compromised information have been refuted by a union representative. Despite some regional secretaries reporting only email outages, a damaging blow to data backups could impact the recovery protocol of the union moving forward. The incident serves as a reminder for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity measures and data protection efforts to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks.
