Search Results for: ransomware

June 8, 2021 @ 8:53 am By JD Alois  |  

The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack caused incredible disruptions to the US economy costing businesses and consumers millions of dollars in lost productivity. As the price of gas rose, and people queued up at stations waiting on the dwindling supply due to the malfeasance, the perpetrators,… Read More

May 16, 2021 @ 1:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The team at blockchain analytics firm Elliptic revealed recently that they followed the Bitcoin (BTC) ransoms paid by Colonial Pipeline and other DarkSide ransomware victims. Dr. Tom Robinson, Co-founder and Chief Scientist at Elliptic, regularly discusses crypto forensics, investigations, compliance, and sanctions. Elliptic clients are… Read More

April 24, 2021 @ 12:19 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Last week, the US sanctioned several groups and individuals because of their alleged association with “disinformation” campaigns that were reportedly coordinated by the Russian government. Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis points out that a few of the sanctioned utilized virtual currency in their “criminal endeavors,” and… Read More

March 2, 2021 @ 7:43 am By Omar Faridi  |  

On January 27, 2021, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that there had been a significant disruption of the NetWalker ransomware strain. FBI agents assigned to the case had taken down a website NetWalker attackers had allegedly used to communicate with the unsuspecting victims…. Read More

January 30, 2021 @ 4:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ransomware “skyrocketed” last year, however, there might be “fewer culprits” than we may think or expect, according to a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. Chainalysis acknowledges that 2020 will “forever be known” as the year of COVID-19, but when it comes to cryptocurrency-related crime,… Read More

October 3, 2020 @ 9:47 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Companies or businesses that have been targeted with malicious ransomware attacks might potentially face fines as high as $20 million if they agree to the demands from extortionists, particularly the ones who have been listed on financial crime sanctions lists, the US Department of Treasury… Read More

March 21, 2020 @ 4:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

UK-based Fintech firm Finastra has reportedly taken some of its servers offline after discovering “potentially anomalous activity” on its computer systems. To quote a statement from Finastra: “During the period immediately prior to March 20th, 2020, the Finastra IT security and risk teams actively detected,… Read More

December 12, 2019 @ 9:18 pm By Cali Haan  |  

An unprecedented number of ransomware attacks deployed against government, healthcare and school targets in the U.S., and new attacks that not only lock up but also steal sensitive data, have prompted cybersecurity firm Emsisoft to declare a “crisis.” An recent attack in Pensacola that “may… Read More

December 10, 2019 @ 9:29 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Hackers successfully executed a cryptocurrency “ransomware” attack on the Argentine government on November 25th and managed to lock up about 7700 GB of data totaling 10 years of government records. Servers, databases, and a virtual backup library were reportedly compromised. “Ransomware” is a type of… Read More

November 12, 2019 @ 2:15 am By Cali Haan  |  

Anti-Malware and anti-virus company Emsisoft posed as a potential customer to conduct an informal “sting” on a company “guaranteeing” it can decrypt data locked by Dharma ransomware for a fee of about $7000 USD. The problem is, Emsisoft claims, no known party has ever decrypted… Read More

November 6, 2019 @ 12:30 am By Cali Haan  |  

A ransomware attack that disabled government communications systems in the northern Canadian territory of Nunavut November 2nd is part of a pattern of attacks being launched against non-US targets, cybersecurity firm Emsisoft claims. The company says ransomware attacks are increasingly being directed at municipalities, hospitals and… Read More

August 19, 2019 @ 9:53 pm By Cali Haan  |  

At least twenty local governments in Texas are now coping with a “coordinated ransomware attack on municipality computer systems,” the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) reports. Affected cities and towns are not named in the release. A response is being coordinated by the Texas Division of… Read More

May 17, 2019 @ 9:12 am By Cali Haan  |  

Hackers demanding an $80,000 USD ransom in Bitcoins have disabled 21 Baltimore City agencies, and many systems are still down despite several weeks of efforts by technicians to abate the hacks, The Baltimore Sun reports. New Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young has remained steadfast on his… Read More

April 27, 2019 @ 5:58 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Officials from the Cleveland Mayor’s Office are reportedly downplaying the significance of what appears to have been a successful ransomware attack on flight info, baggage and email systems at the Cleveland Airport, WTOC reports. Those systems are currently down, though “no hacking” has taken place… Read More

April 23, 2019 @ 9:40 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Microsoft has found that ransomware and cryptomining hackers are finding the most success in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Tanzania and Zambia, while the UAE, South Africa and Namibia have proven themselves as the most secure nations in Africa and the Middle East when it comes to repelling cryptocurrency-motivated… Read More

April 7, 2019 @ 11:51 am By Cali Haan  |  

Two recent ransomware attacks on real estate companies may exemplify recent claims from cybersecurity experts that hackers are increasingly targeting medium-sized and smaller companies as larger entities tighten their online security. In January of this year, cybersecurity staff from BoostIT and workers at a real… Read More

April 2, 2019 @ 10:21 pm By Cali Haan  |  

A number of high-profile ransomware attacks in the early months of this year have put a spotlight on the importance of firms working to prevent them. In March, operations at Norwegian aluminum producer Norsk Hydro and American chemical companies Hexion and Momentive were interrupted by… Read More

March 30, 2019 @ 5:34 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Global insurance firm Hiscox is the now second insurance firm known to have refused to pay out a company damaged in a NotPetya cyberattack, Verdict reports. It is believed that Hiscox has made the refusal because the Russian government was accused by the UK of… Read More

March 29, 2019 @ 3:32 am By Cali Haan  |  

Operations at the American chemical firms Hexion and Momentive were disrupted March 12th when company computer systems were locked up by LockerGoga ransomware, Motherboard reports. LockerGoga is the same ransomware experts believe was used to cripple operations at American and European aluminum smelters run by… Read More

March 21, 2019 @ 6:34 am By Cali Haan  |  

Norwegian aluminum producer Norsk Hydro says a ransomware attack that started late Monday night interrupted production at company facilities in North America and Europe, Bloomberg reports. Unknown attackers reportedly switched “potlines” to manual mode during the attack. Potlines are used to keep metal molten and… Read More