Information warfare has become a significant aspect of modern conflicts, with cyber attacks being a potent tool in disrupting systems and causing chaos. Here are the top 10 cyber attacks in history:
1. Stuxnet Worm
The Stuxnet worm was a highly sophisticated cyber weapon discovered in 2010. It targeted Iran's nuclear facilities, causing significant damage to their centrifuges.
2. WannaCry Ransomware
WannaCry ransomware attack occurred in 2017, infecting over 200,000 computers in 150 countries. It demanded ransom payments in Bitcoin to unlock the encrypted files.
3. NotPetya Cyber Attack
NotPetya was a destructive cyber attack in 2017 that targeted Ukrainian infrastructure but spread globally, causing billions of dollars in damages to various organizations.
4. Sony Pictures Hack
In 2014, hackers breached Sony Pictures' network, leaking sensitive information and unreleased films. The attack was attributed to North Korea in retaliation for a movie depicting the country's leader.
5. Equifax Data Breach
In 2017, Equifax, a major credit reporting agency, suffered a massive data breach exposing the personal information of over 147 million people. The breach had severe repercussions for the company and affected millions of individuals.
6. SolarWinds Cyber Attack
The SolarWinds cyber attack was discovered in 2020 and targeted multiple U.S. government agencies and private companies. It involved a supply chain compromise through malicious software updates.
7. Target Data Breach
In 2013, Target department stores experienced a data breach that compromised the credit card information of over 40 million customers. The breach highlighted the vulnerability of retail systems to cyber attacks.
8. Yahoo Data Breaches
Yahoo suffered two major data breaches in 2013 and 2014, affecting billions of user accounts. The breaches led to a decline in Yahoo's reputation and played a role in its acquisition by Verizon.
9. Operation Aurora
Operation Aurora was a cyber espionage campaign discovered in 2009, targeting numerous companies, including Google. The attack was attributed to Chinese hackers seeking intellectual property and sensitive information.
10. Mirai Botnet Attack
The Mirai botnet attack occurred in 2016, leveraging compromised IoT devices to launch massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The attack disrupted internet services and highlighted the security risks posed by insecure IoT devices.
