Security News
Kali Linux 2020.2: New look, new packages, new installer optionsOffensive Security has released Kali Linux 2020.2, the latest iteration of the popular open source penetration testing platform. Debunking myths related to client-side security and Magecart attacksMany companies assume their current security stack ensures protection for these seemingly basic attacks, but in reality, they open a can of worms and you may not even know you've been attacked.
Recent ransomware attacks, including ones targeting healthcare giant Magellan, the IT office that supports Texas appellate courts and judicial agencies, and a popular law firm that works with several A-list celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Drake and Madonna. "Double extortion" methods being increasingly used by ransomware actors - and new research that found paying a ransom to unlock systems can actually cost companies more financially than recovering data themselves in the long run.
The report shows that sometimes even paying a ransom does not guarantee a company will recover data encrypted in an attack, according to researchers. Though ransomware attacks in the public sector-which is believed to be one of the hardest hit by these attacks-are high profile, the report shows that actually that sector is less affected by ransomware attacks than the private sector.
Engineers from SMU's Darwin Deason Institute for Cybersecurity have developed software to detect ransomware attacks before attackers can inflict catastrophic damage. Unlike existing methods, such as antivirus software or other intrusion detection systems, SMU's new software works even if the ransomware is new and has not been used before.
Organizations hit by ransomware attacks typically have a difficult decision to make. During its research into the attack, X-Force found evidence that the attacker never intended to decrypt the files and that this particular strain of ransomware may not have been designed to allow the decryption of files, even after the ransom was paid.
A ransomware attack has hit the information technology office that supports Texas appellate courts and judicial agencies, leading to their websites and computer servers being shut down. Specifically affected is the Office of Court Administration, which is the IT provider for the appellate courts and state judicial agencies within the Texas Judicial Branch.
UPDATE. Magellan Health, the Fortune 500 insurance company, has reported a ransomware attack and a data breach. "Once the incident was discovered, Magellan immediately retained a leading cybersecurity forensics firm, Mandiant, to help conduct a thorough investigation of the incident. The investigation revealed that prior to the launch of the ransomware, the unauthorized actor exfiltrated a subset of data from a single Magellan corporate server, which included some of your personal information."
Cybercriminals used the REvil ransomware to attack a law firm used by the likes of Lady Gaga, Drake and Madonna. A popular law firm that works with several A-list celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Drake and Madonna, has been hit by a ransomware attack.
Texas revealed on Monday that a ransomware attack has forced the shutdown of its judicial branch network, including websites and servers. In a notice shared on Twitter, the Office of Court Administration, which provides IT services to appellate courts and state judicial agencies, revealed that the attack was discovered on Friday morning, and that the network was taken down to prevent further compromise.
Ransomware might be a dreadful enterprise, but nobody could accuse the criminals behind these attacks of being weak on customer service. Now you can see why ransomware attacks almost always send back encryption keys when paid - any doubt in the mind of victims would quickly destroy the whole extortion racket as companies knuckled down to do the hard work themselves.