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Recently, another cyber-attack occurred in Germany, labeled as an 'IT disruption,' causing a significant shutdown within the company's offices and factories around the globe. What really happened in this instance, and could it have been prevented? This blog will discuss the incident and Infiniwiz's tips to ensure your company is not affected by the same attack.
What Happened?
The automobile manufacturer, 'Volkswagen' suffered from a cyber-attack that left them in a neutral state. The attack has stopped parts of the company's IT operations and systems in Germany, including Zwickau, Dresden, and Emden. It has also stopped operation in many locations around the world. The company has confirmed that the disruption has caused both computer systems and email in some locations to be offline.
This is not the first time that malicious actors have attacked the company. In fact, in 2021, hackers were able to steal contact information from over 3 million customers.
So, what left the company vulnerable to an attack?
Heiseonline.de stated that the company failed to renew network components used for critical infrastructure, such as security components. VW officials also ignored these renewal warnings or forgot about updating. The company's failure to renew affected various network functions, causing the deactivation of encrypted vLANs, WANs, and the administrative network. Consequently, the IT staff had to manually update each network switch to rectify the situation. It is important to note that there could be hundreds of switches that need to be manually updated, which could take some weeks to months for the company to be back up and running. In this case, for security measures, this may involve setting up access controls, configuring firewall rules, or applying security patches to the switch's software.
Are you afraid that this situation could happen to your company?
The good news is that Infiniwiz will manage software renewals for you!
Infiniwiz plays a crucial role in managing software renewals for their clients. Effective software renewal management helps ensure your organization's software remains up-to-date, secure, and compliant with licensing agreements. Here's how Infiniwiz manages software renewals:
Inventory and Assessment
We create a list of your organization's software applications. We then assess the current status of each software, including its version, licensing, and usage.
Licensing Management
We keep track of software licenses to ensure compliance. We also monitor software license terms and conditions to prevent violations, such as exceeding the number of allowed users or devices.
Renewal Notifications
We set up a system to receive notifications about upcoming software renewals. These notifications can come directly through our monitoring and tracking tools.
Renewal Planning
We plan for software renewals well in advance based on the notifications. We also assess whether renewing a particular software license is still necessary or if there are alternative solutions that may be more efficient or cost-effective.
Renewal Execution
When the time comes, we will handle the renewal process. This may involve purchasing new licenses, extending existing ones, or updating software to the latest versions.
Monitoring and Compliance
After renewal, we continue monitoring software usage and licensing to ensure ongoing compliance. We also track any changes in software requirements due to organizational growth or changes.
Reporting
We provide regular reports to clients detailing the status of software renewals and any cost-saving opportunities. These reports help clients make informed decisions about their software investments.
Overall, the incident at Volkswagen illuminates the importance of ensuring the software you use for your business is renewed to eliminate the issue of vulnerabilities that will allow malicious actors to attack your company. Here at Infiniwiz, we will ensure that your software is up to date so that you can focus on other important matters within your company. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!
