A record 966 ransomware attacks hit the American public sector last year — two-thirds of them targeting state or local governments. The US Treasury issued new guidance this month warning that victims of ransomware attacks could themselves face civil penalties if they pay ransom to hackers affiliated with a sanctioned nation state. SEE: Security Awareness and Training policy (TechRepublic Premium). With the election window closing, phishing groups are striking the iron while it's hot. We’re happy to announce the availability of a new decryptor for MaMoCrypt, a strain of ransomware that appeared in December last year. that Subscriber A Texas company that sells software that cities and states use to display results on election night was hit by ransomware last week, the latest of nearly a thousand such attacks over the past year against small towns, big cities and the contractors who run their voting systems. Cybersecurity: Do these things to keep your business safe from hackers, retailers told, Ransomware variants continue to evolve as crooks chase bigger paydays, How this project is helping to disrupt cyber criminals and make the internet safer for everyone, Ransomware: Once you've been hit your business is never the same again. ​U.S. By signing up, you agree to receive the selected newsletter(s) which you may unsubscribe from at any time. While these forms of ransomware might not be as advanced as the most high-profile versions, their availability 'as-a-service' allows even low-level attackers to deploy attacks in an effort to illicitly make money, often from smaller and medium-sized businesses that feel they have no other option but to pay. US imposes sanctions against Russia's Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (CNIIHM). learning Ciaran Martin, the former head of the UK's National Cyber Security Center, called for similar legislation in the UK last month. and United States Cyber Command worry could be struck by anyone trying to sow chaos and uncertainty on election night. Tyler Technologies has paid a ransom for a decryption key to recover files encrypted in a recent ransomware attack. that Siri found a new Nephilim ransomware variant that appends the .MERIN extension. While the new Treasury guidance could help stave off some ransom payments to hackers, cybersecurity experts are calling for broader legislation that would make it illegal to pay ransoms, thereby undercutting hackers' revenue. Local government agencies have also been heavily-hit by ransomware. While Hackney and Barnes & Noble have not disclosed that they suffered a ransomware attack, they highly likely have. Organisations should also regularly backup their systems, as well as testing those backups on a regular basis as past of a recovery plan, so if the worst happens and ransomware does infiltrate the network, there's a known method of restoring it without the need to pay cyber criminals. US Treasury sanctions Russian research institute behind Triton malware. “We have been hardening these systems since last summer,” Christopher Krebs, who runs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for the Department of Homeland Security, said this month. It initially appeared to be an ordinary ransomware attack, in which data is made inaccessible unless the victim pays the ransom, usually in harder-to-trace cryptocurrencies. The Louisiana election proceeded unscathed because officials had the foresight to separate voter rolls from internal networks. [maddogteam@airmail.cc].MadDog to encrypted files. all East London council tries to restore services after 'serious and complex' attack creates disruption. That is one reason the F.B.I. Ransomware continues to target government entities and the enterprise, while victims quietly pay ransoms that power this cycle of attacks. Monitor your networks for suspicious activity and make sure your admin credentials are secure because there will be a slew of new victims come Monday. By registering, you agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices outlined in the Privacy Policy. Arkbird found a new Loki Stealer variant that steals files and then encrypts your computer. You can't build a safe office tower on shaky foundations, and the same applies to your data networks. Contributors and those who provided new ransomware information and stories this week include: @fwosar, @demonslay335, @serghei, @Seifreed, @jorntvdw, @Ionut_Ilascu, @struppigel, @BleepinComputer, @LawrenceAbrams, @PolarToffee, @FourOctets, @malwrhunterteam, @malwareforme, @VK_Intel, @DanielGallagher, @ESET, @msftsecurity, @Mandiant, @BrettCallow, @IntelAdvanced, @RobbyCortes, @Bitdefender, @Kangxiaopao, @siri_urz, @Arkbird_SOLG, and @Amigo_A_. The worst of the bugs is an uncontrolled search path issue with severe, exploitable consequences. There's been a huge increase in the number of ransomware attacks over the course of 2020, with a seven-fold rise in campaigns compared with just last year alone, according to newly … Michael Gillespie found a new Matrix Ransomware variant that appends the .TG33 extension and drops the TG33_INFO.rtf ransom note. Researchers warn of a seven-fold rise in ransomware attacks compared with last year alone - and attackers are continually evolving their tactics. Siri found a new ransomware that appends the .CRPTD extension. Russian agents allowed cybercriminals to profit from the attack, while mining their access to spy on journalists, dissidents and American officials. Experts say the only way to stop the pattern is to cease paying ransoms. Sometimes victims pay — as a small town in Florida did. “And it works both ways.”, Ransomware Attacks Take On New Urgency Ahead of Vote. New York City billboards featuring Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner draw a threatening letter. attacks All rights reserved. since. Last week, a hack that bore signs of a ransomware attack debilitated the computer systems of one of the largest hospital chains in the US, taking computer systems offline and delaying procedures at more than 250 hospitals. Original Source: 42% of Ransomware Attacks in 2020 Occurred in the Battleground States of the Upcoming U.S. Presidential Elections, New Study by MINDSMITH Latest News Top News For example, one of the most prolific ransomware threats during 2019 was GandCrab – until its operators shut up shop during the middle of the year, claiming to have made a fortune from campaigns. There's been a huge increase in the number of ransomware attacks over the course of 2020, with a seven-fold rise in campaigns compared with just last year alone, according to newly released data from cybersecurity researchers. At least 67 US government bodies have suffered ransomware attacks in 2020 alone, at a rate of one to two agencies falling victim to ransomware attacks per week, according to an Emsisoft tally. The Week in Ransomware - October 23rd 2020 - From Russia with Love, Barnes & Noble hit by Egregor ransomware, strange data leaked, Crytek hit by Egregor ransomware, Ubisoft data leaked, The Week in Ransomware - October 9th 2020 - Giant ransoms, The Week in Ransomware - June 19th 2020 - a quiet week, French IT giant Sopra Steria hit by Ryuk ransomware, WastedLocker ransomware hits Boyne Resorts ski resort operator. Michael Gillespie found a new STOP Ransomware variant that appends the .mmpa extension. R1 RCM Medical Debt Collections Firm (August 2020). Advertise | Tyler would not describe the attack in detail. Ensuring that security patches are applied as soon as possible helps prevent hackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities to gain a foothold inside the network in the first place, while organisations should also apply multi-factor authentication across the ecosystem because that can prevent hackers moving across the network by gaining additional controls. | Topic: Security. Still, some analysts feared the attack was a dry run for Nov. 3. “With all due respect to Director Wray, he has a hard time finding emails in his own F.B.I.,” Mr. Meadows said on Fox News. October 12th 2020 TrickBot botnet targeted in takedown operations, little … You will also receive a complimentary subscription to the ZDNet's Tech Update Today and ZDNet Announcement newsletters. But they have not had much success in stopping them. TrickBot, one of the most active botnets on the planet, recently has suffered some strong blows from actors in the cybersecurity industry aiming at disrupting its operations. Privacy Policy | That display software is precisely the kind of soft target that intelligence agencies warned could be subject to foreign manipulation on Election Day. ThunderX has changed its name to Ranzy Locker and launched a data leak site where they shame victims who do not pay the ransom. The US Treasury issued new guidance this month urging people not to pay hackers, and noting that businesses could face civil penalties if they pay ransoms to hacker groups affiliated with sanctioned nation-states.