Search This Blog
Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

Load More
Trendy Right Now

Popular Posts

Showing posts with label Ranomware Attack. Show all posts
Security Survey
Conti Ransomware cyber threat data security Ranomware Attack Ransomware REvil Security Survey

Two-Thirds of Organizations are Targets of at Least One Ransomware Attack

Every year there are a number of studies getting published on cybersecurity issues and recently 2021 Global State of Ransomware Report got published by Fortinet, a cybersecurity organization. The key finding of the report is that more than two-thirds of organizations are being targeted for at least one Ransomware attack in recent years and that’s why organizations are way more concerned about ransomware attacks compared to other forms of cybercrime. 

Before this report, a study showcased that the number of ransomware victims grew by almost 100%, while 60% of the attacks were performed by only three ransomware groups – Conti, Avaddon, and Revil. However, the research also revealed that the majority of organizations are well prepared against ransomware attacks, including, risk assessment plans, employee cyber training, and cybersecurity insurance. 

Research also discloses that the companies were most focused on remote workers and devices. The topmost priority of companies regarding a ransomware attack was how to secure data from the attack. In addition, 84% of organizations reported having an incident response plan, and cybersecurity insurance was a part of 57% of those plans. 

Regarding paying the ransom if attacked, the procedure for 49% was to pay the ransom outright, and for another 25%, it depends on how expensive the ransom is. Along with this, one-third of organizations that paid the ransom got their data back. 

John Maddison, EVP of products and CMO at Fortinet, said: “According to a recent FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape report, ransomware grew 1070% year-over-year. Unsurprisingly, organizations cited the evolving threat landscape as one of the top challenges in preventing ransomware attacks…”

“…As evidenced by our ransomware survey, there is a huge opportunity for the adoption of technology solutions like segmentation, SD-WAN, ZTNA, as well as EDR, to help protect against the methods of access most commonly reported by respondents…” 

"…The high amount of attacks demonstrates the urgency for organizations to ensure their security addresses the latest ransomware attack techniques across networks, endpoints, and clouds. The good news is that organizations are recognizing the value of a platform approach to ransomware defense”, he added.
Read more »
Ranomware Attack
Babuk Cyber Attacks D.C Police Hacking Group Ranomware Attack

Hacking Group That Targeted D.C. Police Briefly Posts Internal Police Files

 

Hackers who allegedly gained access to the D.C. police department's computer network briefly posted the personnel files of at least five current and former officers, a gambit one security expert believes was intended to show that the group's threats are legitimate. 

On Monday, Babuk issued the first warning to D.C. police by uploading screenshots of files the group claimed to have stolen. The group claims to have 250 GB of data, which is enough to store 70,000 images or thousands of pages. 

According to Brett Callow, an analyst for the New Zealand-based cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, which has been monitoring the hack, the documents posted on Wednesday ran into the hundreds of pages and included names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, financial and housing records, job histories and polygraph assessments. 

In a statement, the hacking group Babuk warned police to "get in touch as soon as possible and pay us, otherwise, we will publish the data." Officials in Washington, D.C., have not commented about whether they are in contact with the group. One of the former officers identified in the leak was contacted by NBC News, who confirmed the information was accurate. The officer's identity was not revealed. 

One of the records reviewed by The Washington Post is marked “background investigation document” and “confidential”. The 576-page file includes details of when an officer was going through a background check to be hired in 2017. It contains the officer's financial and banking details, as well as a photocopy of the officer's driver's license, social media posts, a private cell phone number, and answers to questions about past marijuana usage. 

The records were taken down later on Wednesday, according to Callow. However, the group issued a new alert on its dark Web site sometime Thursday, stating only that the police “now determine if the leak will be or not.” The threat was also removed later. 

This week, D.C. police said they were "aware of unauthorized access on our server" and were trying to "determine the full impact." The FBI was called in to assist with the investigation. Babuk has threatened to reveal confidential sources and reports with titles like "known shooters," "most violent person," "RAP feuds," "gang conflict report," and "strategic crime briefings," among others. 

Acting D.C. police chief Robert J. Contee III sent an email to more than 3,600 officers on Wednesday night, reporting that the hacking group had stolen human resource files containing officers' personal information. Officers are told how to get free copies of their credit reports in the email. Officers may also put "fraud notices" on their credit reports, requiring someone who wants to access the data to seek additional permissions. 

According to Adam Scott Wandt, an assistant professor of public policy in the cybersecurity programme at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, “The data leak could reveal informants, putting their lives in danger. This criminal organization poses a very serious and dangerous threat.” Wandt stated, "The amount of harm that can be done is simply enormous. It has the potential to obstruct ongoing investigations. Imagine looking up your name on Google and seeing a data dump that reveals you're being investigated for fraud or drug dealing.” 

The D.C. police department, according to Callow, "has no good choices." The data will be released if they do not pay. If they pay, all they have to do now is trust the criminals to delete the stolen information. “However, why would they?” 

According to a study released by Emsisoft, 2,354 agencies and businesses were targeted last year in ransomware attacks. There were 113 local, state, and federal governments, 560 healthcare facilities, and 1,681 educational institutions included in the list. The groups also gain access to private networks, shut down systems, and then demand payment to restore services. In 2019, a cyberattack crippled Baltimore's ability to process payments and conduct online real estate transactions. According to the Baltimore Sun, the attack cost the city $18 million in lost revenue as well as money spent to repair systems and boost security.

D.C. cops are being targeted by a new type of extortion scheme in which data is stolen and bribes are demanded to keep it from being published, stated cybersecurity experts. According to Callow, the group appears to have raw knowledge based on Wednesday's postings of real data files.
Read more »
Spain
Employment Service malware Ranomware Attack Ryuk Ransomware SEPE Spain

Ryuk Ransomware Hits Spain's Employment Agency

 

The Spanish State Employment Service (SEPE) has been targeted by a ransomware attack which has resulted in hundreds of offices being knocked offline. According to Central Independent Trade Union and Civil Servants, the ransomware attack on SEPE has affected the agency’s offices around the country, forcing employees to use pen and paper to take appointments.

SEPE is a Spanish government agency for labor that provides employment opportunities to the public. The ransomware is said to have spread beyond SEPE’s workstations and also targeted the agency’s remote working employees’ devices. 

The SEPE published a note on their website which said, “currently, work is being done with the objective of restoring priority services as soon as possible, among which is the portal of the State Public Employment Service and then gradually other services to the citizens, companies, benefit and employment offices. The application deadlines for benefits are extended by as many days as the applications are out of service. In no case will this situation affect the rights of applicants for benefits.” 

According to Business Insider Spain, the cyberattack is the work of Ryuk ransomware. Ryuk is a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group that’s been active since August 2018 and is known for running a private affiliate program. In this program, affiliates can submit applications and resumes to apply for membership. The threat group has targeted several organizations over the past year, such as Universal Health Services.

Gerardo GutiĆ©rrez, director of SEPE confirmed that the agency’s network systems were encrypted by the Ryuk ransomware operators after the incident. “Confidential data is safe. The payroll generation system is not affected and the payment of unemployment benefits and ERTE will be paid normally,” he further added. 

According to Central Sindical Independiente y de Funcionarios (CSIF), the attack has caused hundreds of thousands of appointments made through the agency throughout Spain to be delayed. The ransomware has also spread beyond SEPE’s workstations and has reached the agency’s remote working staff’s laptops.
Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)