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Showing posts with label Hacking Attack. Show all posts
Ransomware attack
Cyber Attacks data security Hacking Attack Internet Services Library Phishing emails Public Networks Ransomware attack

Delaware Libraries Hit by Ransomware Attack, Internet Services Disrupted

 

Last week, Delaware’s public libraries faced a cyberattack, causing widespread disruption to computer and internet access. Signs posted at libraries informed visitors that Wi-Fi and PCs were out of service, with officials confirming a ransomware attack took down all internet services. Despite the inconvenience, visitors can still check out books and use other library services. Ransomware attacks like this often start with phishing emails or social engineering, where users are tricked into actions that allow hackers access. 

Matt Barnett, CEO of cybersecurity firm Sevn-X, explained that attackers typically cast a wide net with phishing emails, waiting for a target to take the bait. He speculated that the hackers responsible for this attack are likely from Russia or Eastern Europe, suggesting they targeted Delaware not out of malice but simply because it was an easy opportunity. Hackers look for low-hanging fruit, making any vulnerable entity a potential target. Ransomware attacks usually demand payment in exchange for returning access to the compromised systems. 

In this instance, Delaware state officials have not confirmed if any personal information was stolen. However, the situation serves as a stark reminder of the importance of cybersecurity, even for community services like public libraries. Cybersecurity experts stress the need for vigilance and proactive measures to protect against such threats. Organizations should implement strong email security protocols, train employees to recognize phishing attempts, and regularly update software to patch vulnerabilities. Regular data backups are also essential, ensuring that in the event of an attack, systems can be restored without paying a ransom. 

While this attack has disrupted library services, it is also a learning opportunity. Public institutions, often seen as “soft targets,” must prioritize cybersecurity to protect their networks, systems, and the personal data of their users. By investing in robust cybersecurity measures, conducting employee training, and implementing multi-factor authentication, public services can better defend themselves against future attacks. 

This incident serves as a reminder that cyber threats are ever-present, and even seemingly small targets like public libraries are not immune. As ransomware attacks continue to rise, organizations of all sizes must take active steps to fortify their defenses and educate themselves about potential risks.
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Sensitive Information
Data Breach Hacking Attack Healthcare Breach HIPAA RansomHub Security Operations Sensitive Information

Florida Medical Lab Data Breach Exposes 300,000 Individuals’ Sensitive Information

 

Florida-based medical laboratory, American Clinical Solutions (ACS), recently experienced a significant data breach that exposed the sensitive information of approximately 300,000 individuals. The hacking incident, attributed to the criminal group RansomHub, resulted in the theft of 700 gigabytes of data, which has since been published on the dark web. The exposed data includes Social Security numbers, addresses, drug test results, medical records, insurance information, and other highly sensitive personal details. 

ACS specializes in patient testing for both prescription and illicit narcotics, offering its services to healthcare providers. On July 24, ACS reported the breach to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights. The stolen data encompasses lab testing results from January 2016 until May 2024, the period during which the hacking incident allegedly occurred. Privacy attorney David Holtzman, from the consulting firm HITprivacy LLC, expressed concerns over the nature of the exposed information, highlighting the potential for reputational harm, financial compromise, and extortion due to the sensitivity of drug testing data. 

Despite the severity of the breach, ACS has not yet issued a public statement about the incident on its website, nor has it responded to requests for further details. This lack of communication has raised concerns among legal and regulatory experts, who warn that failing to alert patients about the breach may compound the potential harm. Holtzman emphasized the importance of transparency in such situations, suggesting that the absence of a breach notification may prompt investigations by HHS or state attorneys general to determine whether ACS has complied with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other relevant state laws. 

The delay in notifying affected individuals may stem from various factors, including the possibility that law enforcement advised ACS to wait or that the total number of impacted individuals has not yet been determined. Regulatory attorney Rachel Rose pointed out that drug testing data, while not subject to the stringent federal 42 CFR Part 2 privacy regulations that govern substance disorder treatment facilities, is still considered highly sensitive. Rose compared the compromised information to reproductive health records, mental health records, and data related to diseases like AIDS. 

RansomHub, the group behind the attack, has rapidly gained notoriety within the cybersecurity community since its emergence in February. The gang has claimed responsibility for several major hacks across the healthcare sector, including a June attack on the drugstore chain Rite Aid, which compromised the data of 2.2 million individuals. Security firm Rapid7 recently identified RansomHub as one of the most notable new ransomware groups, underscoring the growing threat it poses to organizations worldwide.
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Malware Attack
APK CloudSEK Cyber Attacks Hacking Attack Hacking WhatsApp Indian Cyber Security Malware Attack

Vietnamese Hackers Target Indian Users with Fake WhatsApp E-Challan Messages

 

A highly technical Android malware campaign orchestrated by Vietnamese hackers is currently targeting Indian users via fake traffic e-challan messages on WhatsApp. Researchers from CloudSEK, a cybersecurity firm, have identified this malware as part of the Wromba family. So far, it has infected over 4,400 devices, resulting in fraudulent transactions amounting to more than ₹16 lakh by just one scam operator. 

Vikas Kundu, a threat researcher at CloudSEK, reported that these scammers send messages impersonating Parivahan Sewa or Karnataka Police, tricking recipients into downloading a malicious app. Once the link in the WhatsApp message is clicked, it leads to the download of a harmful APK disguised as a legitimate application. This malware then requests excessive permissions, including access to contacts, phone calls, SMS messages, and even the ability to become the default messaging app. By intercepting OTPs and other sensitive messages, the attackers can log into victims’ e-commerce accounts, purchase gift cards, and redeem them undetected. 

Kundu explained that once the app is installed, it extracts all contacts from the infected device, enabling the scam to propagate further. Additionally, all SMS messages are forwarded to the attackers, allowing them access to various e-commerce and financial apps. The attackers cleverly use proxy IPs to avoid detection and maintain a low transaction profile. The report indicates that the attackers have accessed 271 unique gift cards, conducting transactions worth ₹16,31,000. 

Gujarat has been identified as the most affected region, followed by Karnataka. To guard against such malware threats, CloudSEK advises users to stay vigilant and adopt security best practices. These include installing apps only from trusted sources like the Google Play Store, regularly reviewing and limiting app permissions, maintaining updated systems, and enabling alerts for banking and sensitive services. This campaign underscores the growing sophistication of cyber threats and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. 

As cybercriminals continue to develop new methods to exploit vulnerabilities, it is crucial for users to remain cautious and proactive in protecting their personal and financial information. Collaboration between cybersecurity firms and users is essential to effectively combat these evolving threats and safeguard against future incidents. By staying informed and adopting best practices, users can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to such malicious campaigns.
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Ransomware
Apple Cybersecurity Hacking Attack Ransomware

Hackers Attack Apple Prior to Launch Event, Demand Ransom

 

On the day when Apple was ready to declare a new series of products at its Spring Load Event, there happened a leak from an unexpected quarter. The infamous cybercrime gang REvil took the responsibility for stealing data and schematics from Apple's supplier 'Quanta computer' relating unreleased products. The gang also threatened to sell the data to the highest bidder if the target failed to pay a ransom of $50 Million. For the credibility of the attack, the hackers release caches of docs relating to upcoming MacBook Pros. iMac schematics have also been added since the last attacks. 

The suspenseful timing and links to Apple raise controversy about the attack. However, it is also a reflection towards the rising no of disturbing ransomware incidents that appear today. Hackers have evolved through years of developing their mass data encryption techniques to log targets out of their own devices. Presently, these gangs are more focused towards data theft and extortion as their primary means of attacks, while demanding hefty ransoms in the process. 

"Our team is negotiating the sale of large quantities of confidential drawings and gigabytes of personal data with several major brands. We recommend that Apple buy back the available data by May 1," said REvil in the stolen data post. Since the start, ransomware attacks have involved capturing the victim's device, encrypting files, and then demanding ransom through simple transactions, in return for providing the decryption key. 

Now, however, hackers have moved towards a unique approach, along with encrypting the files, they steal files and threaten to leak them, this gives them leverage over their victim, assuring ransom payment. Even if the victim recovers his data, the risk of a hacker leaking his data still persists. The Wired reports, "and in the past couple of years, prominent ransomware gangs like Maze have established the approach. Today incorporating extortion is increasingly the norm. And groups have even taken it a step further, as is the case with REvil and Quanta, focusing completely on data theft and extortion and not bothering to encrypt files at all."
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malware
APT CIA Cyberespionage Hacking Attack Kaspersky malware

Kaspersky Discovered Purple Lambert to be a Part of the CIA

 

Kaspersky Lab, a cybersecurity company, has uncovered a new malware that analysts believe is linked to the US Central Intelligence Agency. Multiple antivirus providers obtained a series of malware samples in February 2019, according to Kaspersky experts, some of which cannot be linked to the operation of established APT classes. There were no parallels between these malware strains and malware affiliated with other APT classes.

Although an initial investigation revealed no common code with any previously-known malware samples, Kaspersky recently re-analyzed the files and discovered that “the samples have intersections with coding patterns, style, and techniques that have been used in different Lambert families,” according to the company. Lamberts is Kaspersky's internal codename for tracking CIA hacking operations.

Kasperksy has dubbed this new malware cluster Purple Lambert due to the shared similarity between these recently found samples and previous CIA malware. The malware samples seem to have been collected seven years earlier, in 2014, according to Purple Lambert metadata. Although Kaspersky has not seen any of these samples in the wild, it believes Purple Lambert samples were “most certainly deployed in 2014 and probably as late as 2015.”

“Although we have not found any shared code with any other known malware, the samples have intersections of coding patterns, style and techniques that have been seen in various Lambert families. We therefore named this malware Purple Lambert.” states the APT trends report Q1 2021 published by Kaspersky. “Purple Lambert is composed of several modules, with its network module passively listening for a magic packet. It is capable of providing an attacker with basic information about the infected system and executing a received payload. Its functionality reminds us of Gray Lambert, another user-mode passive listener. Gray Lambert turned out to be a replacement of the kernel-mode passive-listener White Lambert implant in multiple incidents. In addition, Purple Lambert implements functionality similar to, but in different ways, both Gray Lambert and White Lambert.” 

While the Lambert APT (also known as the Longhorn APT) has been present since at least 2008, the first samples were discovered in 2014. The group is extremely advanced, and it has penetrated organisations all over the world with a sophisticated cyberattack network that can hack both Windows and Mac systems. The researchers discovered and studied numerous backdoors and hacking methods that make up the cyberespionage group's arsenal over the years.
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Russia
Cyber Attacks hacker news Hackers Hacking Attack Russia

The website of the Echo of Moscow radio station reported a two-week hacker attack


For two weeks, the website of the Echo of Moscow radio station and the computers of its employees have been hacked.

According to Sergey Buntman, First Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Echo, the radio station technically and actually proved that there are attacks not only on the Echo of Moscow website but also on the Echo office, and on computers, computer and Internet communications. Because of this, part of the telephone service is also affected.

"We asked for help wherever we could, both technical, political, and law enforcement agencies. We linked these attacks with certain information, programs. Law enforcement agencies, as I understand it, are now searching for the source of the attacks," said Alexey Venediktov, Editor-in-Chief of Echo.

He said that two weeks ago, powerful hacker attacks began. Their peculiarity was that they attacked not only the site but also the communication channels of Echo of Moscow when programs were broadcast with presenters who are located remotely," explained Venediktov.

In addition, office computers were unexpectedly attacked, due to which Echo Moscow could not receive news from news agencies. "It is very important that they attack Internet communication channels, including from the satellite from which our regional partners receive the signal. These are very experienced, very powerful DDoS attacks. As experts tell us, very large structures have such capabilities," he said, adding that the radio station's specialists have already learned to repel all these attacks.

However, according to Venediktov, the radio station is losing subscribers and advertisers. The Editorial Board drew the attention of the shareholders to this fact, and "the shareholders are worried".
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