TECHNOLOGY

Cyber Thieves Targeting Payroll Systems: What You Need to Know

USASat Oct 11 2025

A Sneaky Group Called Storm-2657 Is Causing Trouble

They are breaking into employee accounts to steal salaries.

  • Target: Mostly U.S. companies, especially those in higher education.
  • Method: Using HR software like Workday.
  • Tactic: Tricking people into giving up login details via fake emails.

The Scary Part?

  • They are not hacking the software itself.
  • They steal passwords and security codes.
  • Once inside, they change payment details to send money to their own accounts.

A Recent Case

  • 11 accounts at three universities were compromised.
  • Almost 6,000 people at 25 universities received fake emails.
  • The emails were about illnesses or misconduct to make people click on fake links.

How to Stay Safe

  • Use better security methods like FIDO2 security keys.
  • Monitor for strange activity, such as unknown devices or suspicious email rules.

The Big Problem

  • This shows how important it is to have strong security measures in place.
  • Everyone should be careful and think twice before clicking on any suspicious links.

questions

    Could Storm-2657 be the world's most underpaid hackers, given they're only targeting salaries?
    How effective are current MFA methods in preventing such attacks, and what improvements can be made?
    If Storm-2657 is so good at hacking, why aren't they just stealing from banks instead of employee salaries?

actions