Graham Cluley

APRIL 11, 2024

The East Central University (ECU) of Ada, Oklahoma, has revealed that a ransomware gang launched an attack against its systems that left some computers and servers encrypted and may have also seen sensitive information stolen. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.

Ransomware 88

Ransomware Encryption Malware 88

Schneier on Security

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

This article makes LockBit sound like a legitimate organization: The DDoS attack last weekend that put a temporary stop to leaking Entrust data was seen as an opportunity to explore the triple extortion tactic to apply more pressure on victims to pay a ransom.

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Ransomware DDOS Encryption 214

Graham Cluley

JUNE 6, 2024

Did your company fall victim to the LockBit ransomware? Have cybercriminals left gigabytes of your data encrypted, with no easy route for recovery that doesn't involve paying a ransom? Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog. Well, don't fear.

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Encryption Ransomware Malware 94

Joseph Steinberg

APRIL 6, 2021

While ransomware may seem like a straightforward concept, people who are otherwise highly-knowledgeable seem to cite erroneous information about ransomware on a regular basis. As such, I would like to point out 8 essential points about ransomware. Many ransomware attacks are now targeted, rather than opportunistic.

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Ransomware Computers and Electronics Backups Artificial Intelligence 294

Graham Cluley

JULY 6, 2023

There's good news for any business that has fallen victim to the Akira ransomware. Security researchers have developed a free decryption tool for files that have been encrypted since the Akira ransomware first emerged in March 2023. Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog.

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Ransomware Encryption Malware 135

CSO Magazine

MAY 26, 2022

Researchers at Trend Micro have discovered some new Linux-based ransomware that's being used to attack VMware ESXi servers, a bare-metal hypervisor for creating and running several virtual machines (VMs) that share the same hard drive storage. To read this article in full, please click here

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Ransomware Encryption Security Awareness 144

SecureList

APRIL 15, 2024

They generated a custom version of the ransomware, which used the aforementioned account credential to spread across the network and perform malicious activities, such as killing Windows Defender and erasing Windows Event Logs in order to encrypt the data and cover its tracks. In this article, we revisit the LockBit 3.0

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Ransomware Encryption Passwords Accountability 105

Heimadal Security

JUNE 29, 2023

In early February 2023, a new ransomware strain quietly made its way up the ranks. Earmarked Dark Power, the NIM-written ransomware leverages an advanced block cipher technique to bypass detection, stop system-critical services, and, finally to encrypt the victim’s file.

Ransomware 101

Ransomware Encryption 101

Graham Cluley

MARCH 17, 2023

Security researchers have released a new decryption tool which should come to the rescue of some victims of a modified version of the Conti ransomware, helping them to recover their encrypted data for free. Read more in my article on the Tripwire State of Security blog.

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Ransomware Encryption Malware 103

CSO Magazine

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

Ransomware started out many years as scams where users were being tricked into paying fictitious fines for allegedly engaging in illegal online behavior or, in more serious cases, were blackmailed with compromising videos taken through their webcams by malware. To read this article in full, please click here

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Encryption Ransomware DDOS Scams 74

Heimadal Security

DECEMBER 9, 2022

To understand what targeted ransomware is and to know the difference between opportunistic and targeted ransomware, we first need to kick off this article at the very beginning. What is ransomware? Ransomware is malware that encrypts a victim’s data and charges them to reaccess it.

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Ransomware Encryption Malware 96

Malwarebytes

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

Today's ransomware is the scourge of many organizations. If we define ransomware as malware that encrypts files to extort the owner of the system, then the first malware that could be classified as ransomware is the 1989 AIDS Trojan. Not many victims did this, and the symmetric encryption was relatively easy to crack.

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Ransomware Encryption Cryptocurrency Backups 110

CSO Magazine

JANUARY 21, 2022

ExtraHop threat researchers have observed attackers in the wild using encrypted traffic to avoid detection of Log4Shell attacks. This is consistent with the general trend of cyberattackers using encryption as an evasion mechanism to avoid detection during both the initial intrusion and lateral movement stages of an attack, among others.

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Encryption Ransomware 99

CSO Magazine

MAY 15, 2023

Companies with cyber insurance are more likely to get hit by ransomware, more likely to be attacked multiple times, and more likely to pay ransoms, according to a recent survey of IT decision makers. Back in 2019, fewer than 20% of enterprises suffered repeat ransomware attacks, while during the pandemic, the percentage rose to around 30%.

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Insurance Cyber Insurance Ransomware Encryption 123

CSO Magazine

MAY 9, 2023

Smart infrastructure provider Nebulon today announced the immediate availability of TripLine, an early warning system for cryptographically based ransomware attacks on on-premises systems. To read this article in full, please click here It’s designed to quickly identify the precise time and system location where an attack has occurred.

Encryption 72

Encryption Ransomware 72

CSO Magazine

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Retailers are fast becoming the favorite targets for ransomware criminals, with two out of three companies in the sector being attacked last year, according to a new report from cybersecurity firm Sophos. Attackers were able to successfully encrypt files in more than half of the attacks.

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Retail Ransomware Encryption Cybersecurity 130

Trend Micro

JANUARY 25, 2023

Trend Micro researchers discovered a new ransomware that abuses the APIs of a legitimate tool called Everything, a Windows filename search engine developed by Voidtools that offers quick searching and real-time updates for minimal resource usage.

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Ransomware Encryption Engineering 109

Malwarebytes

JANUARY 11, 2024

This article is based on research by Marcelo Rivero, Malwarebytes’ ransomware specialist, who monitors information published by ransomware gangs on their Dark Web sites. This provides the best overall picture of ransomware activity, but the true number of attacks is far higher. Now, the picture is becoming clearer.

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Ransomware Healthcare Encryption Technology 91

CSO Magazine

MARCH 20, 2023

Ransomware group BianLian has shifted the main focus of its attacks away from encrypting the files of its victims to focusing more on extortion as a means to extract payments from victims, according to cybersecurity firm Redacted. To read this article in full, please click here The decryption tool was released in January.

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Ransomware Encryption Cybersecurity 98

CyberSecurity Insiders

JUNE 27, 2023

One such threat is smartphone ransomware, a malicious software that can wreak havoc on our digital lives. In this article, we will explore the concept of smartphone ransomware, its potential consequences, and most importantly, the measures you can take to protect yourself from this growing menace.

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Ransomware Antivirus Backups Encryption 107

Malwarebytes

APRIL 12, 2022

Thanks to the Threat Intelligence team for their help with this article. Conti, the infamous ransomware created by a group of Russian and Eastern European cybercriminals, has again made headlines after a hacking group used its leaked source code to create another variant of the ransomware and target Russian businesses.

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Ransomware Encryption Hacking Internet 142

CSO Magazine

AUGUST 24, 2021

The FBI is warning companies that a ransomware group calling itself OnePercent or 1Percent is leveraging the IceID Trojan and the Cobalt Strike backdoor to gain a foothold inside networks. The ransomware group has been active since at least November 2020 and has hit companies in the United States.

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Ransomware Banking Encryption 143

CSO Magazine

MAY 8, 2023

A cybercriminal group has been compromising enterprise networks for the past two months and has been deploying a new ransomware program that researchers dubbed CACTUS. Encrypted files are appended with.cts1, although Kroll notes the number at the end of the extension has been observed to vary across incidents and victims.

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Ransomware VPN Cyber threats Encryption 121

CyberSecurity Insiders

OCTOBER 17, 2022

Ransomware attack on ‘Heilbronn Stimme’, the German newspaper, has halted the distribution of newspapers, including a 28-page epaper since Friday last week. It remains unclear on whether the publishing firm will pay a ransom to free up its database/s from encryption.

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Ransomware Encryption Media Cybersecurity 123

CSO Magazine

APRIL 14, 2022

What is Ransomware? Ransomware (ransom + malware) is a form of malware designed to allow malicious actors to extort money from an organization. This is accomplished by using a variety of encryption techniques that lock an organization's files to then force the organization to pay for the key to unlock the data.

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Ransomware Encryption Malware 111

Malwarebytes

DECEMBER 13, 2023

This article is based on research by Marcelo Rivero, Malwarebytes’ ransomware specialist, who monitors information published by ransomware gangs on their Dark Web sites. This provides the best overall picture of ransomware activity, but the true number of attacks is far higher.

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Ransomware Healthcare Encryption Backups 86

Malwarebytes

AUGUST 3, 2023

.” Everyone and their grandma have repeated this foreboding maxim about the nature of ransomware attacks, but sadly, that doesn't make it any less true. Time and again we’re reminded that ransomware can slip past even the best defenses. Advanced settings includes additional features for Ransomware Rollback.

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Ransomware Backups Encryption Technology 82

Malwarebytes

JUNE 9, 2022

BlackBasta, an alleged subdivision of the ransomware group Conti , just began supporting the encryption of VMware’s ESXi virtual machines (VM) installed on enterprise Linux servers. This is probably why many cybersecurity communities associate them with known ransomware actors, particularly Conti.

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Ransomware Encryption Firewall Software 111

CSO Magazine

AUGUST 24, 2022

WannaCry is a ransomware worm that spread rapidly through across a number of computer networks in May of 2017. After infecting a Windows computer, it encrypts files on the PC's hard drive, making them impossible for users to access, then demands a ransom payment in bitcoin in order to decrypt them. What is WannaCry?

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Ransomware Cybercrime Encryption Government 116

Security Affairs

OCTOBER 1, 2023

Bleeping Computer last week reported that Johnson Controls International has suffered a ransomware attack that impacted many systems of the company. The threat actors also claim to have stolen over 27 TB of corporate data and encrypted the company’s VMWare ESXi virtual machines during the attack.” reported Bleeping Computer.

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Ransomware Insurance Technology Encryption 134

Graham Cluley

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Owners of Asustor NAS drives have woken up to discover that data they believed was safe and sound on their network storage devices has instead been encrypted by ransomware, and that cybercriminals are demanding over $1000. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.

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Ransomware Encryption Malware 92

Security Affairs

JULY 11, 2022

BleepingComputer reported a new ransomware operation named 0mega that is targeting organizations worldwide. 0mega is a new ransomware operation that is targeting organizations worldwide using a double-extortion model, BleepingComputer reported. Victims of the ransomware reported that the malware adds the .0mega Source [link].

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Ransomware Encryption Malware Hacking 104

Malwarebytes

OCTOBER 20, 2022

It’s time for another tale of remote desktop disaster, as a newish form of ransomware carves out a name for itself. Bleeping Computer reports that individuals behind Venus ransomware are breaking into “publicly exposed Remote Desktop services”, with the intention of encrypting any and all Windows devices.

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Ransomware Encryption VPN Passwords 92

Malwarebytes

JULY 13, 2023

This article is based on research by Marcelo Rivero, Malwarebytes' ransomware specialist, who monitors information published by ransomware gangs on their Dark Web sites. This provides the best overall picture of ransomware activity, but the true number of attacks is far higher.

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Ransomware Manufacturing Data breaches Encryption 95

Malwarebytes

OCTOBER 11, 2023

This article is based on research by Marcelo Rivero, Malwarebytes' ransomware specialist, who monitors information published by ransomware gangs on their Dark Web sites. This provides the best overall picture of ransomware activity, but the true number of attacks is far higher. As usual, Lockbit (72) led the charts.

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Ransomware Social Engineering Backups Engineering 117

CyberSecurity Insiders

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

However, in order to warn those interested, we have published this article. The next time if you are thinking to join a ransomware as a service scheme of REvil group to earn some money through extortion or to take vengeance, you better be aware that such schemes will always dupe the partner first and then the victim next.

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Ransomware Encryption Malware Cryptocurrency 110

CSO Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

The recent attack on Greece’s largest natural gas transmission operator DESFA by ransomware gang Ragnar Locker is the latest on a growing list of incidents where ransomware groups attacked energy companies. To read this article in full, please click here over the past two years.

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Ransomware Encryption 86