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The Microlise glitch left prison vans unprotected and unmonitored.
This week, a large-scale cyberattack took place in the UK, which affected the security and efficiency of a number of large companies, including prisoner escort services and logistics operators. As a result of the attack, which affected technology partner Microlise, the management and tracking of vehicles turned out to be difficult.
Microlise, a UK-based company that develops fleet management solutions, faced a major cyber incident that caused a large part of its services to malfunction. This led to disruptions to several of the company's key customers, including major partners such as delivery service DHL UK and the Nisa chain of stores. However, the most serious consequences were reflected in the company Serco, which provides transportation of prisoners under a contract with the UK Ministry of Justice.
Serco began a six-year contract worth £200 million in May this year. Under the terms of the agreement, the company undertakes to accompany about 25 thousand prisoners monthly and manage a number of correctional institutions. However, a glitch in the Microlise system caused the tracking devices and panic buttons in Serco vehicles to be disabled. As a result, the drivers were unprotected, as the prisoner tracking systems did not function for several days. According to sources, only three days later, the drivers were informed about safety problems.
Due to the incident, Serco management was forced to switch to temporary security measures. Drivers were provided with paper maps and instructions to keep in touch with prison bases every half hour. According to sources, employees were also advised to keep mobile phones fully charged for emergencies. Disruption of navigation and other functions has complicated the performance of tasks and endangered the safety of personnel.
The situation surrounding the Microlise cyberattack illustrates the risks of cyber threats in supply chains, which can cause significant consequences in the physical world. As Kevin Robertson, head of operations at Acumen Cyber, noted, the attack on Microlise demonstrates how the unconscious impact of cyberattacks can lead to difficulties in real life. He stressed that in the case of Serco, the lack of ability to track the whereabouts of prisoners is a potential danger to society.
DHL also experienced serious consequences from the attack, whose delivery service experienced problems with tracking parcels for the Nisa chain of stores for a week. Failures in the tracking system made it difficult to notify the delivery of goods to the chain's 2,500 stores across the UK in a timely manner. In response to the incident, DHL said it had put in place additional measures to minimize the impact on customers.
Microlise officially confirmed the incident and said that since the discovery of unauthorized access, it has taken measures to eliminate the threat and restore the services. During the investigation, it turned out that some of the data of employees was compromised, but customer systems were not leaked. The company also noted that it expects to restore the main functions of the platform by the end of the week.
The Microlise cyberattack was a wake-up call for the industry, pointing to the high risks associated with third parties in the supply chain. Experts noted that this incident resembles a ransomware attack in its structure and emphasizes the importance of strengthening cyber resilience in the face of growing threats. According to them, such cases indicate that digital infrastructure can be vulnerable even if attacked by supporting platforms.
Microlise, which serves more than a thousand customers around the world, including 88% of UK grocery retailers and partners such as JCB, Hovis and other well-known brands, has already engaged external cybersecurity specialists to assess the incident and prevent similar threats in the future.
Source
This week, a large-scale cyberattack took place in the UK, which affected the security and efficiency of a number of large companies, including prisoner escort services and logistics operators. As a result of the attack, which affected technology partner Microlise, the management and tracking of vehicles turned out to be difficult.
Microlise, a UK-based company that develops fleet management solutions, faced a major cyber incident that caused a large part of its services to malfunction. This led to disruptions to several of the company's key customers, including major partners such as delivery service DHL UK and the Nisa chain of stores. However, the most serious consequences were reflected in the company Serco, which provides transportation of prisoners under a contract with the UK Ministry of Justice.
Serco began a six-year contract worth £200 million in May this year. Under the terms of the agreement, the company undertakes to accompany about 25 thousand prisoners monthly and manage a number of correctional institutions. However, a glitch in the Microlise system caused the tracking devices and panic buttons in Serco vehicles to be disabled. As a result, the drivers were unprotected, as the prisoner tracking systems did not function for several days. According to sources, only three days later, the drivers were informed about safety problems.
Due to the incident, Serco management was forced to switch to temporary security measures. Drivers were provided with paper maps and instructions to keep in touch with prison bases every half hour. According to sources, employees were also advised to keep mobile phones fully charged for emergencies. Disruption of navigation and other functions has complicated the performance of tasks and endangered the safety of personnel.
The situation surrounding the Microlise cyberattack illustrates the risks of cyber threats in supply chains, which can cause significant consequences in the physical world. As Kevin Robertson, head of operations at Acumen Cyber, noted, the attack on Microlise demonstrates how the unconscious impact of cyberattacks can lead to difficulties in real life. He stressed that in the case of Serco, the lack of ability to track the whereabouts of prisoners is a potential danger to society.
DHL also experienced serious consequences from the attack, whose delivery service experienced problems with tracking parcels for the Nisa chain of stores for a week. Failures in the tracking system made it difficult to notify the delivery of goods to the chain's 2,500 stores across the UK in a timely manner. In response to the incident, DHL said it had put in place additional measures to minimize the impact on customers.
Microlise officially confirmed the incident and said that since the discovery of unauthorized access, it has taken measures to eliminate the threat and restore the services. During the investigation, it turned out that some of the data of employees was compromised, but customer systems were not leaked. The company also noted that it expects to restore the main functions of the platform by the end of the week.
The Microlise cyberattack was a wake-up call for the industry, pointing to the high risks associated with third parties in the supply chain. Experts noted that this incident resembles a ransomware attack in its structure and emphasizes the importance of strengthening cyber resilience in the face of growing threats. According to them, such cases indicate that digital infrastructure can be vulnerable even if attacked by supporting platforms.
Microlise, which serves more than a thousand customers around the world, including 88% of UK grocery retailers and partners such as JCB, Hovis and other well-known brands, has already engaged external cybersecurity specialists to assess the incident and prevent similar threats in the future.
Source
