DarkSide, the hacker group behind the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack earlier this month, received $90 million in bitcoin payments following a nine-month ransomware spree, making it one of the most profitable cybercrime groups. "In total, just over $90 million in bitcoin ransom payments were made to DarkSide, originating from 47 distinct wallets," blockchain analytics firm … [Read more...] about DarkSide Ransomware Gang Extorted $90 Million from Several Victims in 9 Months
ransomware
Irish health service hit by “very sophisticated” ransomware
Media outlets are reporting an attack by yet-unspecified ransomware on the Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland’s healthcare system. The HSE decided to shut down key information systems for thorough investigation and protection against further threat spread. A number of clinics have reported temporary shutdowns or at least disruptions in their operations, although they … [Read more...] about Irish health service hit by “very sophisticated” ransomware
Ransomware Cyber Attack Forced the Largest U.S. Fuel Pipeline to Shut Down
Colonial Pipeline, which carries 45% of the fuel consumed on the U.S. East Coast, on Saturday said it halted operations due to a ransomware attack, once again demonstrating how infrastructure is vulnerable to cyberattacks. "On May 7, the Colonial Pipeline Company learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack," the company said in a statement posted on its website. "We … [Read more...] about Ransomware Cyber Attack Forced the Largest U.S. Fuel Pipeline to Shut Down
Researchers Uncover Iranian State-Sponsored Ransomware Operation
Iran has been linked to yet another state-sponsored ransomware operation through a contracting company based in the country, according to new analysis. "Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was operating a state-sponsored ransomware campaign through an Iranian contracting company called 'Emen Net Pasargard' (ENP)," cybersecurity firm Flashpoint said in its findings … [Read more...] about Researchers Uncover Iranian State-Sponsored Ransomware Operation
Hackers Exploit SonicWall Zero-Day Bug in FiveHands Ransomware Attacks
An "aggressive" financially motivated threat group tapped into a zero-day flaw in SonicWall VPN appliances prior to it being patched by the company to deploy a new strain of ransomware called FIVEHANDS. The group, tracked by cybersecurity firm Mandiant as UNC2447, took advantage of an "improper SQL command neutralization" flaw in the SSL-VPN SMA100 product (CVE-2021-20016, CVSS … [Read more...] about Hackers Exploit SonicWall Zero-Day Bug in FiveHands Ransomware Attacks
New QNAP NAS Flaws Exploited In Recent Ransomware Attacks
A new ransomware strain called "Qlocker" is targeting QNAP network attached storage (NAS) devices as part of an ongoing campaign and encrypting files in password-protected 7zip archives. First reports of the infections emerged on April 20, with the adversaries behind the operations demanding a bitcoin payment (0.01 bitcoins or about $500.57) to receive the decryption key. In … [Read more...] about New QNAP NAS Flaws Exploited In Recent Ransomware Attacks
Top 5 most dangerous ransomware in 2021
Over the past five years, ransomware has evolved from being a threat to individual computers to posing a serious danger to corporate networks. Cybercriminals have stopped simply trying to infect as many computers as possible and are now targeting big victims instead. Attacks on commercial organizations and government agencies require careful planning but can potentially lead to … [Read more...] about Top 5 most dangerous ransomware in 2021
Ransomware: From blockers to cryptors and beyond
If you follow information security, you have probably heard a lot about ransomware in recent years. You may even have had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of an attack. It is perhaps no exaggeration to describe ransomware as the most dangerous malware of our time. But did you know that such malicious programs have been around for more than 30 years, and that … [Read more...] about Ransomware: From blockers to cryptors and beyond
Black Kingdom Ransomware Hunting Unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers
More than a week after Microsoft released a one-click mitigation tool to mitigate cyberattacks targeting on-premises Exchange servers, the company disclosed that patches have been applied to 92% of all internet-facing servers affected by the ProxyLogon vulnerabilities. The development, a 43% improvement from the previous week, caps off a whirlwind of espionage and malware … [Read more...] about Black Kingdom Ransomware Hunting Unpatched Microsoft Exchange Servers
Tesla Ransomware Hacker Pleads Guilty; Swiss Hacktivist Charged for Fraud
The U.S. Department of Justice yesterday announced updates on two separate cases involving cyberattacks—a Swiss hacktivist and a Russian hacker who planned to plant malware in the Tesla company. A Swiss hacker who was involved in the intrusion of cloud-based surveillance firm Verkada and exposed camera footage from its customers was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice … [Read more...] about Tesla Ransomware Hacker Pleads Guilty; Swiss Hacktivist Charged for Fraud