Welcome to ISMG's Ransomware Resource Center!

Ransomware has rapidly become one of the world's most prevalent types of cybercrime. The lure for criminals is easy to see: Using highly automated and easily distributed crypto-locking malware to forcibly encrypt systems, attackers can demand bitcoin ransoms in exchange for decryption keys. Use this Ransomware Resource Center for the latest details on emerging ransomware variants, threat intelligence on attackers, plus best practices for detection, response and remediation.

UK Orgs Tout Government Help in Ransomware Incidents

Akshaya Asokan • September 17, 2024

Timely notification of ransomware incidents to British law enforcement agencies played a crucial role in understanding the threats and in developing mitigation strategies, the former security heads of Royal Mail and the University of Manchester said.

Business Continuity Management / Disaster Recovery

Medibank to Spend AU$126M on Post-Breach Security Upgrade

Latest

3rd Party Risk Management

How Mega Attacks Are Spotlighting Critical 3rd-Party Risks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 18, 2024

Recent mega data breaches involving third-party vendors - such as the Change Healthcare cyberattack - are intensifying the spotlight on critical security risk management and governance issues for business associates and other suppliers, said regulatory attorney Rachel Rose.

Multi-factor & Risk-based Authentication

Breach-Weary Snowflake Moves to MFA, 14-Character Passwords

Akshaya Asokan • September 16, 2024

Data warehousing platform Snowflake rolled out default MFA - as well as a 14-character password minimum - to shore up security in the wake of a series of cyberattacks in June that hit high-profile customers including Santander Bank, Advance Auto Parts, LA Unified School District and Neiman Marcus.

Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development

Mastercard Buys Threat Intel Firm Recorded Future for $2.65B

Michael Novinson • September 12, 2024

Mastercard plans to buy threat intelligence firm Recorded Future for $2.65 billion to enhance cyber resilience and offer greater protection and trust around digital transactions. The deal will enhance Mastercard's identity, fraud prevention services by helping businesses identify and mitigate risk.

Identity & Access Management

ColorTokens Strengthens Zero Trust With PureID Acquisition

Michael Novinson • September 11, 2024

ColorTokens purchased PureID, expanding its zero trust framework with identity-based segmentation for cloud and hybrid environments. The acquisition focuses on securing cloud applications, microservices and APIs through advanced identity-based authentication.

Healthcare

CyberEdBoard Insights: Phil Englert and Errol Weiss

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 10, 2024

Healthcare organizations often face obstacles in sharing cybersecurity information. Phil Englert and Errol Weiss from Health-ISAC advocate for shifting the focus from legal risks to business risks, improving incident response and building resilience through collaboration and transparency.

Breach Notification

Acadian Ambulance Notifying Nearly 3 Million of Data Theft

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • September 9, 2024

A Louisiana-based ambulance company that provides emergency medical care services in four states is notifying nearly 3 million people that their sensitive health information was potentially stolen in a June hack. Ransomware gang Daixin claims to have published the data on its dark web leak site.

Cybercrime

Florida Department of Health Informs RansomHub Hack Victims

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 29, 2024

Two months after RansomHub claimed to have published 100GBs of its stolen data on the dark web, the Florida Department of Health is notifying citizens that their sensitive information has been compromised. The attack affected the vital statistics system used to issue birth and death certificates.

CrowdStrike Outage Updates

CrowdStrike Debuts Safeguards, Seeks to Blunt Outage Impact

Michael Novinson • August 29, 2024

CEO George Kurtz said CrowdStrike has blunted the business impact from the massive July 19 outage and is implementing changes to prevent a repeat occurrence. CrowdStrike is boosting the resilience of its Falcon platform through improved content visibility and control and enhanced quality assurance.

Anti-Phishing, DMARC

Seeking a Job in Cybersecurity? Protect Yourself From Scams

Brandy Harris • August 28, 2024

The demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals, coupled with the rise in remote work, has led to an increase in fraudulent job postings targeting tech-savvy individuals. Learn why this is so and how to protect yourself from deceptive schemes as you pursue a job in cybersecurity.

Cybercrime

How SSH Flaws Expose Vulnerabilities, Endanger Enterprises

Aseem Jakhar • August 22, 2024

SSH is designed for secure communications, but common misconfigurations significantly expose systems to threats, according to Rob King, director of security research at runZero. King discusses the implications of these vulnerabilities, citing real-world breaches and best practices for SSH security.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

$2.25M Settlement Reached in Atlantic General Hack Lawsuit

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • August 21, 2024

A ransomware attack against Berlin, Maryland-based Atlantic General Hospital that affected the personal information of 137,000 individuals in 2023 has led to a $2.25 million preliminary settlement of a consolidated proposed federal class action lawsuit.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Ransomware Gangs Are in Decline But Still Make Lots of Noise

Tom Field • August 21, 2024

RedSense’s Yelisey Bohuslavskiy and Marley Smith believe ransomware is declining but caution that it still poses a significant threat. While attackers recycle old methods, they're taking desperate measures to target vulnerable groups such as cancer centers and to stoke fears in the marketplace.