The firm said it was compromised by a new malware strain unknown to existing anti-virus programs
Napier firm Langley Twigg has been victimised by what it descrbed as “a sophisticated malicious” cyberattack involving a new malware strain that existing anti-virus programs did not recognise.
The attack occurred on 11 January. The firm’s security monitoring software flagged unauthorised activity on its network, which spurred the firm to contact its IT support provider for assistance. The network was taken offline and shut down during the IT investigation.
The investigation revealed that the third-party attack managed to copy client data from Langley Twigg’s file server. The firm informed the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the New Zealand Police of the incident; moreover, it confirmed that it was collaborating with digital forensics and cyber incident response specialists to determine the extent to which its data was compromised.
Digital forensics experts were brought on to work with Langley Twigg’s IT provider. The firm said in a statement on its website that once the inspection was completed – a process that could take several weeks – it would inform affected clients to initiate conversations about further steps for remedy.
The firm confirmed that it had implemented a security update that now recognised the malware. It added that when it was attacked, it had been transitioning to a cloud-based document management system. The firm said it would now fast-track its migration to enhanced cloud-based security infrastructure to mitigate the risk of further attacks.
Langley Twigg’s systems have since been restored with backup copies which the firm said had been “thoroughly sanitised”. It has also taken measures to improve security.
The firm warned clients to monitor their bank account and credit card transactions. It also cautioned them to be wary of suspicious communications, particularly those that asked for money.
Langley Twigg instructed clients to verify its bank account details with staff by phone.
