Qantas confirms over a million customers' personal information leaked
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Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Postman, engineer, cleaner: Are hackers sneaking into your office?
When you think of a cyber attack, most of us imagine a classic hacker—a man in a hoodie, hunched alone over his computer, accessing a company's network remotely. But that's not always the case. Despite office security desks, it's easy to disguise yourself and simply walk in, a cyber security trainer told Euronews. 'Many people, when they see a high vis top, they think: 'Oh this person's an engineer' or something like that, and then just let them walk through.' While we're all aware of cyber attacks and the increasing threat they pose to businesses—particularly in light of recent attacks on Pandora, Chanel, Adidas and Victoria's Secret—most of us significantly underestimate the physical ways our defences can be breached. Global cyber security spending is projected to reach $213 billion (€183bn) in 2025, up from $193 billion (€166bn) in 2024, according to the latest data from Gartner, Inc. Despite this, according to Cisco's 2025 cybersecurity readiness index, only 4% of organisations globally are fully prepared for modern threats. According to security experts Sentinel Intelligence, physical security is a critical blindspot in our defences, and the consequences of ignoring this attack vector can be disastrous. The physical frontline of digital security The overall cyber threat in Europe is estimated to cost €10 trillion in 2025 and it's only set to grow, according to a recent interview with software company Splunk. In terms of physical cyber attacks, the threat is real and dangerous, as shown by the World Security Report 2023. Research found that large global companies, meaning those with combined revenues of $20 trillion, reported $1tn (€860bn) in lost revenue during 2022, directly caused by physical security incidents. That could mean a hacker gaining access to your office building in order to target your digital infrastructure. Related Defence sector outpaces overall job market in Europe amid rising security priorities Businesses set to fail if cyber resilience not most important thing says Splunk strategy head Penetration testing is a common service, commissioned by business leaders to test their internal defences. If you work in a big office, it has probably happened around you, without you even knowing. Euronews Business spoke to Daniel Dilks, director of operations at Sentinel Intelligence, to learn exactly what some of their recent tests have entailed. Case 1: Tailgating & access breach at a corporate headquarters 'Sentinel operatives dressed in business attire entered the building by tailgating staff during the morning rush, carrying fake ID badges and a laptop bag to blend in. Once inside, they located an unsecured meeting room, connected to the guest Wi-Fi, and left a rogue device (a network implant),' Dilks told Euronews. Case 2: Out-of-hours lock picking & data exposure 'During off-hours, testers gained access by picking a standard euro-cylinder lock on the side door. Once inside, they accessed an unlocked filing cabinet containing printed client contracts and passwords. No alarms were triggered,' Dilks explained. And for a criminal, once they've figured out how to enter a building, they can potentially do it on numerous occasions, each time gathering more information or causing more damage. Case 3: Social engineering & credential theft simulation 'An operative posed as a contractor for the building's heating and ventilation system. After entering with a high-vis vest and fake work order, the individual was escorted into a server room by staff who believed the visit was scheduled. While inside, they photographed exposed credentials and connected a USB 'dropbox' to a workstation,' he added, explaining that it's common for penetration testers to leave USB pens scattered around offices. Many workers, in the hope of being helpful, will plug them into their computers to see who it belongs to. In a real world attack scenario, this could introduce malware directly into your company network. In all of these examples, poor physical security measures, reluctance to challenge or verify unknown people, and making basic mistakes like writing passwords on post-it notes could all lead to serious consequences. Related How long could it take a hacker to crack one of your passwords in 2025? What are the consequences of a cyber attack? Though it's tricky to break down the exact cost of a security breach, attacks have short- and long-term consequences for a business. There are the initial direct costs which could be linked to physical damage. 'Somebody manages to break in, and they sabotage your system, they basically smash it up, right? So there's a direct cost there to the actual equipment,' the cyber security expert explained. 'But if damage to the equipment means you're not able to function for several days, that's loss of business. And sometimes when a customer can't reach you several times, they may decide to go elsewhere.' The expert explained that consequences can quickly intensify if data is wiped and backups don't work, adding that organisations can crumble without their systems. Indirect costs could also have enduring ramifications. 'Let's say someone steals your data and then there's intellectual property or confidential documents and then they get leaked. What's the cost to the organisation? There's a reputational cost there, they may lose contracts when the customers lose trust in them.' Companies can also be fined for these sorts of data breaches. Related Defence sector outpaces overall job market in Europe amid rising security priorities Surprising attack vectors The cyber security expert shared some particularly surprising ways that criminals have hacked into company systems in recent years. 'There was this case where in a casino in the US, attackers gained access to the network, not through going directly through the main part of the network, but they compromised a water-regulating device in an aquarium that was connected to the system.' And whilst we might not all have aquariums in our homes and offices, smart devices can be vulnerable too. 'When smart kettles first came out, the security community was very interested,' the expert explained. 'If you go to a cyber security conference, sometimes you'll see a demo of them hacking a kettle and then extracting the WiFi password, and then using the WiFi passport to then go into a network, and many things can snowball from there' If you're running a company, it's worth identifying all the possible ways you could be attacked. Even so, the expert emphasised that while we need to exercise caution, it doesn't mean we need to be rude or unkind to strangers in the workplace out of fear. 'Just be wary and be aware. We don't need to change our nature and be unkind to everyone, but we just need to be aware that there are some malicious people out there.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Deutsche Bank Raises Albemarle (ALB) Target, Signals Cautious Optimism on Lithium
Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) is one of the best battery tech stocks to buy right now. On August 4, Deutsche Bank raised its price target for Albemarle from $65 to $74 while keeping a Hold rating. The new target shows they feel a little more positive about the company, but they are still being cautious. A team of scientists in a laboratory observing the sophisticated engineering of specialty chemicals. Albemarle has halted its U.S. lithium refinery project, cut capital spending by 50%, closed its Chengdu plant, shifted Chinese production to carbonate, and began commercial output from its Kemerton facility to counter weak prices and preserve margins. Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) is a leading producer of lithium, which is used in batteries for electric cars. Because the world is slowly but surely switching to electric vehicles, the need for lithium is growing. That makes the company worth considering for the long term. Even with the price target going up, the expected gain is only about 7%. This is not a big return in the short run. But Albemarle is in a good spot for the future, since more clean energy and battery use are likely coming. Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) extracts lithium, a vital input for electrochemical storage units powering electric mobility, grid stabilization systems, and portable electronic apparatuses across expanding clean energy and digital ecosystems. While we acknowledge the potential of ALB as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: 12 Best Performing AI Stocks So Far in 2025 and 10 Best Military Tech Stocks to Buy Now Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Family detail that could prevent NRL superstar accepting $7.5 million offer
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui's manager has revealed he'll test the open market when he technically becomes a free agent on November 1, but admitted it will take a lot to pry him away from his family support network in Queensland. The State of Origin star is contracted to the Gold Coast Titans until the end of 2033 on a 10-year deal worth $1.2 million per season. But he has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave at the end of 2027. It means he's free to negotiate with rival NRL clubs on November 1 this year, and that's exactly what he'll be doing. 'We will be testing the market,' Fa'asuamaleaui's manager Simon Mammino told on Sunday, while stressing he's happy on the Gold Coast. 'At this stage, he wants to stay at the Titans, but it's a business and we'll be having a chat to interested parties." The same report states the Perth Bears are preparing a $7.5 million offer that could see Fa'asuamaleaui become the highest-paid player in the game (per season). Mal Meninga's new team are keen to offer the Queensland Maroons star $1.5 million per season for five years. It would take Fa'asuamaleaui past Kalyn Ponga ($1.4m) as the NRL's highest earner per year. 'From November 1, we're allowed to talk to people and I will definitely be having a chat with the Perth Bears," Mammino added. 'In a perfect world, Tino's preference is to stay at the Titans. But whether he does remains to be seen.' Family could keep Tino Fa'asuamaleaui on the Gold Coast Mammino pointed out that Fa'asuamaleaui would be hesitant to move away from family in Queensland. His parents live two hours away in Gympie, while his brother Izack is also a Titans player. Tino's partner Jordy Ngarimu is also a professional athlete with the Titans' netball team, and her parents also live on the Gold Coast. Tino and Jordy have three young kids, meaning they'd be moving away from their support network if they left Queensland. 'It won't be money alone that lures him out because he is already one of the highest paid players in the game,' Mammino said. 'Family is a huge factor. His in-laws live on the Gold Coast, his mum and dad are in Gympie and his brother is at the Titans. His family and support network is all around the Gold Coast area. If he goes to Perth, there's no family support, so Perth will face the same challenges as Melbourne." View this post on Instagram A post shared by JORDAN (@ The fact Fa'asuamaleaui is weighing up an international switch from Australia to Samoa shows how much he values family. And it could hint at good news for Gold Coast Titans fans. RELATED: Raiders rocked as young Canberra star signs with Penrith Panthers Jett Cleary could be handed NRL debut in stunning development Perth Bears figures who could convince Tino to join Fa'asuamaleaui started his career at the Melbourne Storm, but it was Meninga and recruitment boss Ezra Howe who helped convince him to join the Titans. Meninga was the Gold Coast's head of performance and culture at the time, while Howe was the Titans' recruitment manager. Howe recently joined Meninga at the Perth Bears to work as the new franchise's head of recruitment, giving the Bears two big trump cards. "Tino went to the Titans because of Mal Meninga. He has huge respect for him," Mammino revealed. 'That doesn't mean Tino will definitely sign with them (Perth), but Mal and Ezra are huge fans of Tino. Those two aren't there anymore and Tino has developed a real affection for the Gold Coast, but we don't know where the Titans are heading."
