Nissan Financial Services Impacted by Cyber Attack Across Australia and New Zealand

Investigations have revealed that “financially-motivated cyber attacks” are now outnumbering attacks from traditional state-sponsored actors. One such attack targeted a vehicle and plant financial services company operating in Australia and New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand Nissan Corporation and Financial Services fell victim to a cyber attack on Dec. 7, potentially compromising customer information. Nissan is currently working with its global incident response team to assess the extent of the attack and whether any personal information was accessed.

A report from New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) highlighted the increasing threat of financially-motivated cyber attacks, stating that they are surpassing attacks from traditional state-sponsored actors. The report also mentioned Russia’s use of cyber attacks in its war with Ukraine and increased infiltration attempts by Chinese hackers in the United States. The NCSC’s most recent report estimated that the agency has reduced $65 million worth of harm from malware, ransomware, and DDoS activity to “nationally significant organisations.”

Deputy Director-General Lisa Fong emphasized the heightened determination of cyber-criminal actors attempting to extort payment from organizations in the NCSC’s 2021/22 report. The report also revealed that financial attacks had surpassed attacks with links to nation-states. In response to the cyber attack, Nissan advised its customers to be vigilant across their accounts and to look out for any unusual or scam activities.

Although major attacks in New Zealand have decreased slightly, the sophistication and potential for bigger damage have risen due to rapid advances in AI technology. AI’s efficiency in identifying potential threats was also highlighted in the report, with AI technology aiding in the detection of potential threats that may otherwise go undetected.

Nissan has notified Australia and New Zealand’s cyber security centres and is working to restore its systems as soon as possible while providing updates on its website. Additionally, customers are advised to contact service centers directly to inquire about their operability.



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