Bodily Safety a Concern in Johnson Controls Cyberattack

Within the newest growth across the cyberattack impacting Johnson Controls International (JIC)officers on the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) are actually reportedly involved that the assault might have affected delicate bodily safety info.

Johnson Controls serves as a authorities contractor, offering constructing automation providers to amenities, akin to HVAC, fireplace, and safety gear. As a result of nature of these providers, officers at DHS are elevating issues about compromised info akin to DHS flooring plans. In response to media reports, officials detailed in an internal memo that Johnson Controls holds “classified/sensitive contracts for DHS that depict the physical security of many DHS facilities.”

It’s nonetheless unclear as to what info was accessed within the breach, which is believed to be a ransomware assault, however the memo acknowledged that “until further notice, we should assume that [the contractor] stores DHS floor plans and security information tied to contracts on their servers.”

Considerations are extra heightened resulting from a potential government shutdownwhich might start this coming Sunday, making the incident not solely a safety concern, however a time delicate one. Greater than 80% of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company (CISA) workforce can be furloughed ought to this shutdown go into impact, and cyberattacks throughout the nation’s software program provide chain would put vital infrastructure in danger.

“There is absolutely a trend emerging in ransomware attacks with cybercriminals going deeper into their victims’ systems to deal a more crippling blow,” famous John Gunn, CEO at Token, in an emailed assertion, underscoring the tough ranges cybercriminals are prepared to go to of their assaults, together with these towards authorities businesses.

This incident highlights the executive order President Biden issued in 2021 for federal businesses to bolster their cybersecurity safeguards, and brings into query the safety of third-party suppliers and contractors.