Security News > 2021 > July > Restart After Hacks Delayed Again by Software Firm
A US software firm hit by a ransomware attack that crippled companies worldwide put off restarting its servers until Sunday to harden defenses against further breaches.
Kaseya has the vulnerabilities exploited in the attack blocked, but opted to take more time to put in place additional layers of protection, he explained.
The unprecedented attack that caused Kaseya to shut down its cloud-based system on July 2 affected an estimated 1,500 businesses and prompted a ransom demand of $70 million.
While Kaseya is little known to the public, analysts say it was a ripe target as its software is used by thousands of companies, allowing the hackers to paralyze a huge number of businesses with a single blow.
The Kaseya attack has ricocheted around the world, affecting businesses from pharmacies to gas stations in at least 17 countries, as well as dozens of New Zealand kindergartens.
REvil, a group of Russian-speaking hackers who are prolific perpetrators of ransomware attacks, are widely believed to be behind the assault.