Massive Attack Targets Business Security Systems: What Families Need to Know

Attackers have successfully compromised more than 30,000 Fortinet devices used by organizations in nearly 200 countries. These devices are security systems that businesses use to protect their networks and allow employees to connect remotely. The attackers have compiled a list of working login credentials, meaning they have usernames and passwords that actually work to get into these systems.

This breach affects multiple sectors, which means it impacts schools, hospitals, stores, banks, and other businesses your family interacts with regularly. If you work for a company that uses remote access, your employer may be affected. More concerning for families, if your child's school, your doctor's office, or businesses you shop with are compromised, your personal information stored in their systems could be at risk. Customer data, medical records, financial information, and student records could all be exposed.

Here is what you should do right now:

1. If you work remotely, alert your IT department about this threat and ask if your company uses Fortinet devices.
2. Change passwords on any work systems you access remotely.
3. Monitor your bank accounts, credit cards, and medical insurance statements for unauthorized activity.
4. Watch for suspicious emails that appear to come from your workplace, your child's school, or your healthcare providers. Attackers often use stolen access to send convincing phishing emails. To protect your family long term, assume that any business storing your information could be breached. Use different passwords for different services so that if one is compromised, the others remain secure. Sign up for account alerts from your bank, credit cards, and healthcare providers so you are notified of unusual activity immediately. Teach your children not to click on links in emails, even if they appear to come from their school. When in doubt, go directly to the website by typing the address yourself rather than clicking email links.