Business security solutions firm RSA has
offered to replace its SecurID tokens for selected customers as it
reveals information from a recent RSA hacking was used to attack a
major US government defence contractor.
In an open letter to the public, RSA’s
executive chairman Art Coviello acknowledges the March RSA
hacking’s involvement in an attempted broader attack on Lockheed
Martin. Although the fraudster was thwarted, Coviello realises the
attack, coupled with the increasing frequency and sophistication of
cyber attacks in general, may reduce some customers’ overall risk
tolerance.
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With this in mind, RSA has expanded its
security remediation programme, designed to reinforce trust in
RSA’s two-factor authentication tool SecurID tokens, and is
offering full replacements of the solution for customers with
concentrated user bases that typically focus on protecting
intellectual property and corporate networks.
“Over the past several weeks, an unprecedented
wave of cyber attacks against varied and high-profile targets such
as Epsilon, Sony, Google, PBS, and Nintendo have commanded
widespread public attention,” said Coviello.
“These attacks are totally unrelated to the
breach at RSA, but point to a changing threat landscape and have
heightened public awareness and customer concern.”
The letter also goes on to say certain
characteristics of the RSA attack indicated the fraudster’s most
likely motive was to obtain an element of security information that
could be used to target defence secrets and related IP, rather than
financial gain, PII or public embarrassment.
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By GlobalData“It is important for customers to understand
that the attack on Lockheed Martin does not reflect a new threat or
vulnerability in RSA SecurID technology,” said Coviello.
“Indeed, the fact that the only confirmed use
to date of the extracted RSA product information involved a major
US defence contractor only reinforces our view on the motive of
this attacker.”
