IT Security Stories to Watch: Was Hershey Park Breached?

Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, the company that owns Hershey Park, is investigating a possible data breach.

And as a result, Hershey Park tops this week’s list of IT security news makers, followed by Damballa, Malwarebytes and The Hartford.

What can managed service providers (MSPs) and their customers learn from these IT security news makers? Check out this week’s list of IT security stories to watch to find out:

1. Hershey Park gets breached

Hershey is encouraging Hershey Park visitors to review their account statements after a data breach may have exposed guests’ credit card information.

“We have received reports from some of our guests that fraud charges appeared on their payment cards after they visited our property,” Hershey spokesperson Kathleen McGraw told Krebs on Security. “While our company does have security measures in place designed to prevent unauthorized access to our network, we immediately began to investigate our system for signs of an issue and engaged an external computer security firm to assist us.”

McGraw noted that the investigation is ongoing.

2. ‘Click fraud’ malware provides an easy route for high-risk ransomware

“Click fraud” malware, which secretly clicks on ads to defraud advertisers, is quickly becoming a popular gateway for ransomware.

The “Q2 2015 State of Infections Report” from computer security company Damballa revealed that click fraud malware can cause long-lasting damage for organizations of all sizes.

“As this report highlights, advanced malware can quickly mutate and it’s not just the initial infection vector that matters, it’s about understanding the chain of activity over time,” Damballa Chief Technology Officer Stephen Newman said in a prepared statement. “The intricacies of advanced infections mean that a seemingly low risk threat – in this case click fraud – can serve as the entry point for far more serious threats.”

3. Malwarebytes introduces Amnesty program for Windows users

Malwarebytes is taking steps to help customers “who have been inconvenienced by piracy or abuse.”

The online security company has launched an Amnesty program to provide a free replacement key to Windows users who inadvertently purchased a pirated copy of its software or are having problems with the software.

As part of the program, Malwarebytes is offering customers a new key with 12 free months of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium.

4. Most midsize companies consider data breaches at least ‘a minor risk’

Investment and insurance firm The Hartford found that most midsize business leaders understand the impact of data breaches.

A new study from The Hartford revealed that 82 percent of midsize business leaders said they consider a data breach at least a minor risk to their business. In addition, 32 percent said they view data breaches as a major risk.

“All types of businesses have networks and networks can be vulnerable to a breach,” Joe Coray, vice president of The Hartford’s technology & life science practice, told Insurance Journal. “Whether businesses are hosting their data internally or entrusting it to external business partners, it is important that they validate how their information is being secured.”

What are your thoughts on this week’s IT security stories to watch? Share your thoughts about this story in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].