ransomware

A ransomware group named Nitrogen claims to have stolen 8 terabytes of data from Foxconn, Apple's largest supplier. The group, linked to ALPHV/BlackCat, is extorting the company and threatening to release sensitive client data from major tech firms. Foxconn confirmed a cyberattack on North American factories, with production resuming.

Dell unveiled a suite of new products for modern data centers and AI, including advanced PowerStore storage and next-gen PowerEdge servers. These offerings aim to boost performance and security for businesses navigating growing AI demands alongside traditional workloads. New cyber resilience and automation tools are also part of the expanded portfolio.

Cybercriminals are now leveraging AI to discover and exploit unknown software flaws, as revealed by Google's recent interception of a major attack. This development confirms fears about AI-powered hacking, prompting urgent discussions and a cautious approach to releasing advanced AI models. The cybersecurity landscape faces a new arms race as attackers gain speed.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei issued a stark warning to U.S. institutions, revealing their AI model Mythos uncovered tens of thousands of software vulnerabilities. He emphasized a critical, narrow window to patch these flaws before China's AI catches up, potentially leading to widespread breaches and financial damage.

Names doing the rounds include senior faculty such as Dr Nikhil Tandon, professor and head of endocrinology, Dr Radhika Tandon, Chief, Professor of Ophthalmology and Prof Sandeep Chauhan head of cardiac anaesthesia department, though sources cautioned that no decision has been taken yet. “There are established conventions, but nothing is final yet. Typically, the senior-most person is asked to hold charge,” a senior doctor said.

ADT, a major US home security provider, has confirmed a data breach where hackers accessed customer information including names, phone numbers, and addresses. The notorious ShinyHunters group is threatening to leak 10 million records unless a ransom is paid by April 27, though ADT states financial data and security systems were not compromised.

Iconic toymaker Hasbro has confirmed a cyberattack, detected on March 28, impacting its systems. The company has engaged cybersecurity experts and is working to secure operations, though the full extent of the breach, including potential data theft, remains under investigation. Hasbro anticipates resolution could take several weeks, warning of potential delays.

Medical device provider Stryker confirmed a global network disruption due to a cyberattack, impacting its internal Microsoft environment. While no malware or ransomware is indicated, an Iran-linked group claimed responsibility, alleging the seizure of 50 terabytes of company data. Stryker assures customers that products remain safe and is working to restore systems.

Windows 11's ransomware Protection, part of Microsoft Defender, offers Controlled folder access for critical folders. Enable in Windows Security app for added security. Backup strategies and offline backups further protect against ransomware attacks.

In 2023, targeted ransomware attacks surged by 70%. Cybercriminals threaten to expose stolen data and file complaints. ransomware payments exceeded $1.1 billion, reaching an unprecedented high. An in-depth research has found that 2023 saw an increase in the number of targeted ransomware groups globally by 30% when compared to 2022.

ransomware manifests in different types, including crypto, locker, scareware, doxware, double extortion, RaaS, and mobile ransomware. It infiltrates devices through methods such as phishing emails, third-party websites, unfamiliar links, SMS scams, and infected USB drives. The focus of ransomware is on vital files such as Microsoft Office documents, images, data, and videos.

LockBit, one of the well-known ransomware gangs, is now targeting Macs, suggests a group of security researchers. While the ransomware has profoundly affected Windows, Linux, and virtual host machines, the researchers have found evidence of a Lockbit ransomware build that can compromise macOS devices.

New Delhi, Sep 2 () The government today issued an alert on spread of new malware 'Locky ransomware' that can lock computers and demand ransom for unlocking them. "Alert regarding spam spreading Locky ransomware issued today by @IndianCERT...

The government on Saturday issued an alert on spread of new malware 'Locky ransomware' that can lock computers and demand ransom for unlocking them. ransomware is a malicious software and the Locky ransomware is learnt to be demanding ransom of half bitcoin, which at present rate is equivalent to over Rs 1.5 lakh.

According to Kaspersky Incident Response Analyst Report, "The nature of cyber incidents", almost 43% of ransomware attacks investigated by Kaspersky experts in 2022 started with public facing applications' exploitation. Public facing applications are the ones that the public can access. These include web applications, mobile apps and VPN gateways, among others.

As ransomware attacks surge, the FBI is doubling down on its guidance to affected businesses: Don't pay the cybercriminals. But the US government also offers a little-noticed incentive for those who do pay: The ransoms may be tax deductible.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is alerting organisations to be careful about a new ransomware called Egregor. As per CERT-In, the Egregor ransomware breaks into organisations IT systems, steals sensitive data, and runs the malware to encrypt their files and threatens "Mass-Media" release of corporate data if ransom is not paid in due time.

Atos SE faces claims of a ransomware attack by the Space Bears group, alleging database compromise. The French tech company, specializing in cybersecurity, cloud computing, and digital transformation, is investigating but has found no evidence of a breach so far.

The basic idea of a ransomware attack is to make the victim shell out some money, but paying money does not mean you would get the data stolen. As per the Sophos State of ransomware 2021 report, around 92 per cent of organisations do not get all of the lost data back, and those who get it can not retrieve more than half of it.

LockBit ransomware group, involved in 17% of ransomware engagements in 2023, had its dark web site taken down by law enforcement units. The group steals sensitive data, locks systems, and demands a high ransom. It aims to monopolize the ransomware sector and has faced disruptions in its operations, including a ban in Russia.

A report by cybersecurity company Sophos said that in 77% of ransomware attacks against surveyed organisations, hackers succeeded in encrypting data. About 44% of victim companies paid the ransom to get their data back – a considerable drop from last year’s rate of 78%. The most common reason was an exploited vulnerability.

Cybersecurity researchers at Sophos have reported that this ransomware group is using a new technique for the attacks. This new technique allows attackers to hide ransomware from security products (like anti-virus). The BlackByte ransomware can exploit a security flaw that is present in more than 1,000 drivers and is common in several antivirus software.

SpiceJet has delayed announcing its January-March, 2022, financial result due to the recent ransomware attack it had recently suffered. The result was to be declared on May 30.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating the "deliberate and targeted" ransomware attack on the servers of AIIMS Delhi, Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Thursday.

Russia was not invited to attend a 30-country virtual meeting led by the United States that is aimed at combating the growing threat of ransomware and other cyber crime, a senior administration official said. Many ransomware gangs operate from Ukraine and Russia, private sector cybersecurity experts say.

“As everyone knows, there has been a serious incident which has affected our IT network and systems in the last 24 hours. We believe this to be a ransomware attack but are continuing to consider all possibilities," said Anna Bateson, The Guardian Media Group chief executive, and Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief.

Indiabulls Group was hit by a ransomware that threatened to expose confidential data of its group companies if they don’t pay a ransom within 24 hours. Beenu Arora, founder and CEO of Cyble, a US-based cyber threat intelligence company, told TOI that it was a Clop ransomware operator. The Clop modus operandi is like other groups such as Maze and Revil.