It is becoming an all-too-familiar script. In November, malware intruded point-of-sale systems in over 50 Starwood hotels in North America. The malware, according to the company, “was designed to collect certain payment card information, including card-holder name, payment card number, security code and expiration date”. Earlier this year, Ashley Madison, a website that helps people have extramarital affairs, was hacked. Sony Pictures, too, went through a nightmare last year after malware from a group called ‘Guardians of Peace’ stole its data and unreleased films.
These incidents highlight both the rise in cyber crime and the reactive approach of enterprises. Starwood, for instance, said that “promptly after discovering the issue, we engaged third-party forensic experts to conduct an extensive investigation”. This, despite warnings from a number of online security software companies.…
