One weak password leads to downfall of KNP firm

(MENAFN) A single weak password may have led to the downfall of KNP, a 158-year-old transport company in Northamptonshire, after it fell victim to a devastating ransomware attack that resulted in 700 job losses.

KNP is among tens of thousands of British firms recently targeted by cybercriminals. High-profile companies such as M&S, Co-op, and Harrods have also suffered data breaches in recent months. The Co-op recently confirmed that data belonging to all 6.5 million of its members had been stolen in a cyberattack.

In KNP’s case, hackers are believed to have accessed the company's systems by guessing a staff member’s password. Once inside, they encrypted data and locked down the entire internal network, effectively paralyzing operations.

Paul Abbott, a director at KNP, said he has not disclosed to the employee that their compromised password was likely the entry point that led to the firm’s collapse. “Would you want to know if it was you?” he reflected.

Richard Horne, CEO of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), emphasized the urgent need for businesses to strengthen their digital defenses. Speaking from inside the NCSC’s war room, where teams work to combat international ransomware threats, Horne warned, “We need organisations to take steps to secure their systems, to secure their businesses.”

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