The French Connection attack is a reminder that even the highest-profile companies can fall prey to hackers. The hacking of the French public service television network TV5Monde was claimed by individuals claiming allegiance to Islamic State, who blacked out broadcasts and hacked the website and Facebook page. France's culture minister Fleur Pellerin has called an urgent meeting of all major French media groups to assess their vulnerability to hacking.
The REvil ransomware gang reportedly breached the back-end systems of The french connection attack, better known as FCUK, which control the company's internal systems and operations. The gang then nicked internal data, including passport and identification scans for staff members, reports The Register. These included the CEO and founder of the company Stephen Marks, chief financial officer Neil Williams and COO Lee Williams. The gang also allegedly stole some of the broadcasts being planned for later that night.
Founded in 1972, the FCUK brand made a name for itself in the 2000s with its cheeky and not-actually-rude-honest slogan of "FCUK" – and a reputation for quality fashion at reasonable prices. It branched out into menswear and accessories, and has grown to become a global force in the fashion industry.
When a man dressed in all-black appeared in a playground at an enclosed park for kids, he seemed casually strolling around while slashing wildly at a young boy playing with a toy sword. The boy escaped unhurt but the attacker, identified as Thierry Chevalier, 29, was shot dead at the scene by security guards. Police said he was armed with an automatic weapon and had a "depressive personality".
A video emerged on YouTube showing the moment the attacker stabbed the boy, who jumped off a small climbing frame in alarm and fled. The footage triggered outrage across the country, with people describing it as brutal and senseless. The incident has brought to the fore the question of whether a lack of training and security measures can lead to such attacks.
The attack happened a week after an attack on Paris police headquarters by the same group of gunmen that killed journalists at Charlie Hebdo and a hostage at a kosher supermarket. The attack was claimed by a person claiming allegiance to Isis, and President Francois Hollande has warned the public to be vigilant against extremists.
In an attempt to combat the rise of so-called fake news, French newspapers have joined forces to create a system to verify the authenticity of online articles. The French Press Federation has also partnered with the US-based Digital Trust Alliance to promote good practices and improve transparency in the media. The federation's head, Michel Legrand, said: "It is important that the media share information to counteract the impact of disinformation on our democracy." The French media have also been hit by a distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) on a Portland, Oregon-based cloud computing firm called Cedexis, which took many French news sites offline.
