No clear link between recent data breaches; incidents appear to be result of ‘opportunistic attacks’: PDPC

In recent weeks, cyberattacks have hit multiple organisations in the healthcare sector, including Minmed, Doctor Anywhere, Fullerton Health and the Agency for Integrated Care.

Data breaches have also been reported by M1, Singapore Airlines and SPH Media, involving the exposure or potential exposure of personal information.

Connected systems support business efficiency and innovation, but their interconnectedness also carries risks, PDPC said.

These include third-party supply chain risks and the exploitation of application programming interfaces (APIs).

“When threat actors find a vulnerability at any part of these connected systems, they find it easier to move laterally through the different systems,” PDPC said.

“They may also find it easier to gain remote access to the systems, as well as impact other third parties in the organisation’s supply chain.”

In a LinkedIn post on Friday, PDPC commissioner Denise Wong warned that threats posed by malicious actors are advancing, with faster attacks on more diverse targets.

“Threat actors are moving faster than before to exploit common vulnerabilities, and more systematically attacking a wider range of targets,” Ms Wong said.

She advised organisations to take data breaches seriously, including putting in place measures to protect sensitive data.