Cyberattacks

Ransom sanctions leave little room for companies desperate to resolve an attack

Victimized organizations are balancing the risk and cost of stalled operations and encrypted data, with federal watchdogs ready to act. Response and recovery is never going to be an easy process.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 20, 2020

After a ransomware attack, choose what data needs recovery first

Shaun Marion, CISO at Republic Services, doesn't treat all his data the same. There's some data he won't care about losing in light of a ransomware attack.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 18, 2020

Biotech Miltenyi, aiding in COVID-19 research, recovering from malware

For two weeks the company dealt with "isolated cases" of malware in its IT infrastructure. Operations are restored and the company does not expect delays in orders.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 18, 2020

Complex cloud deployments amplify ransomware impact, report finds

There's a connection between ransomware payment and the average number of cloud deployments, a survey from Veritas found. The more complex an environment, the more likely organizations are to pay up.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 17, 2020

Facebook ads posted to 'shame' Campari to pay its ransom, report says

Operators behind the Ragnar Locker ransomware strain hacked a business Facebook account to post the ads, reported KrebsOnSecurity. Facebook eventually caught the ads as fraudulent.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 12, 2020

28% of 'extreme' cyber incidents cost more than $100M, report finds

Outside of financial fallout, cyber incidents can damage corporate reputations, increase regulatory oversight and impact executive careers, Cyentia found. 

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 10, 2020

Mattel's July ransomware reportedly linked to Trickbot

The company's investigation found no data exfiltration. 

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Nov. 04, 2020

From stunted operations to stolen data, how much can ransomware cost?

Cyberattacks are a business and business has been good.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 30, 2020

Small players along critical infrastructure at mercy of ransomware

Between data exfiltration and frozen operations, ransomware is compromising the weakest elements of critical infrastructure. 

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 30, 2020

5 charts to show the impact of ransomware attacks in 2020

Even if patterns in code and strategy resemble a certain group, it's not always reliable enough to definitively identify an attacker or variant. 

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 30, 2020

Deep Dive

Ransomware 2020: the scale, scope and impact of attacks on business

In an international health crisis ripe with economic volatility, ransomware attacks have remained persistent. The fallout is growing more costly.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 30, 2020

Maze operators to close shop, report says

It's unknown if the operators will release decryption keys like other retired ransomware, reports Bleeping Computer.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 30, 2020

Ryuk wakes from hibernation; FBI, DHS warn of healthcare attacks

Researchers found that threat group UNC1878 is responsible for one-fifth of Ryuk intrusions. "Herein lies our monster," said Mandiant's Aaron Stephens.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 29, 2020

US sanctions against Russia institute with malware ties only scratch at recourse

The malware, launched against a Saudi Arabia-based oil refinery in 2017, also scanned and probed at least 20 electric facilities in the U.S. in 2019.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 26, 2020

How Atlanta's CIO rebuilt IT after the city's cyberattack — and what's next

Inheriting a city, technologically and economically wounded by a cyberattack, Gary Brantley had to turn to the basics.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Oct. 20, 2020

Security experts overlook attacker-favored credential stuffing

With an endless cycle of breaches, hackers have a large pool of exposed credentials to throw at websites, increasing their probability of success. 

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Sept. 30, 2020

Ransomware attacks 'raising the bar' as cities struggle to respond

Smart Cities Dive looked at the increasingly sophisticated methods hackers deploy to extort money and ways cities can better prepare.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 27, 2020

Understanding Carnival's ransomware attack, hitting two different data types

Last week the cruise line disclosed a ransomware attack that impacted employee and customer data. The security divisions can get murky.

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • Aug. 26, 2020

Are businesses covered if their service provider is hit by ransomware?

The fallout of supply chain-style ransomware attacks are twofold — data encryption and data exfiltration — cyber insurance has to reckon with both. 

By Samantha Ann Schwartz • July 17, 2020