CISA Issues Warning On Cyber Threats Targeting Water and Wastewater Systems

The U.S. Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency CISA on Thursday warned of continued ransomware attacks aimed at disrupting water and wastewater facilities WWS, highlighting five incidents that occurred between March 2019 and August 2021. "This activity—which includes attempts to...

Ransomware Operators Found Using New "Franchise" Business Model

We found a relatively new and interesting ransomware operation that takes inspiration from franchise business models. It seems that the operators are rebranding a "supplier" ransomware before deployment instead of simply distributing it under the original name...

Ransomware Operators Found Using New "Franchise" Business Model

We found a relatively new and interesting ransomware operation that takes inspiration from franchise business models. It seems that the operators are rebranding a "supplier" ransomware before deployment instead of simply distributing it under the original name...

VirusTotal Releases Ransomware Report Based on Analysis of 80 Million Samples

As many as 130 different ransomware families have been found to be active in 2020 and the first half of 2021, with Israel, South Korea, Vietnam, China, Singapore, India, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Iran, and the U.K. emerging as the most affected territories, a comprehensive analysis of 80 million...

Podcast: 67% of Orgs Have Been Hit by Ransomware at Least Once

A recent report found that two-thirds, or 67 percent, of surveyed organizations have suffered a ransomware attack, about half have been hit multiple times, and 16 percent have been hit three or more times. According to Fortinet’s Global State of Ransomware Report 2021 PDF, released last week, mos...

Ongoing Cyber Threats to U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems Sector Facilities

CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI, the Environmental Protection Agency EPA, and the National Security Agency NSA have released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory CSA that details ongoing cyber threats to U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems WWS Sector. This activity—which includes cyber...

30 Mins or Less: Rapid Attacks Extort Orgs Without Ransomware

In less time than it takes to get a stuffed crust pizza delivered, a new group called SnapMC can breach an organization’s systems, steal their sensitive data, and demand payment to keep it from being published, according to a new report from NCC Group’s threat intelligence team — no ransomware...

Germ-term, but all year. How criminals are hacking schools

In some schools, the autumn term is often called “germ-term” due to the number of bugs the children bring back after the summer holidays. It usually calms down after a few weeks, however, with hacking there is no slow down. Its all year, its relentless. In the last 10 months of this year schools...

Ransom Disclosure Act would mandate ransomware payment reporting

In an effort to better understand and clamp down on the ransomware economy and its related use of cryptocurrencies, US Senator and past presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren and US House Representative Deborah Ross introduced a new bill last week that would require companies and organizations to...

Patch Tuesday, October 2021 Edition

Microsoft today issued updates to plug more than 70 security holes in its Windows operating systems and other software, including one vulnerability that is already being exploited. This months Patch Tuesday also includes security fixes for the newly released Windows 11 operating system. Separatel...

10 Phishing Stats That’ll Make Your C-Suite Think

Wanting to run a phishing simulation is one thing, but persuading colleagues of the importance of doing so is another. You need to keep your organization safe, not just satisfy basic compliance requirements. You need to improve security awareness and colleague behaviors, throughout your...

Inside Apple: How macOS attacks are evolving

The start of fall 2021 saw the fourth Objective by the Sea OBTS security conference, which is the only security conference to focus exclusively on Apples ecosystem. As such, it draws many of the top minds in the field. This year, those minds, having been starved of a good security conference for ...

How cyberattacks are changing according to new Microsoft Digital Defense Report

In 2021, cybercrime has become more sophisticated, widespread, and relentless. Criminals have targeted critical infrastructure—healthcare,1 information technology,2 financial services,3 energy sectors4—with headline-grabbing attacks that crippled businesses and harmed consumers. But there are...

How cyberattacks are changing according to new Microsoft Digital Defense Report

In 2021, cybercrime has become more sophisticated, widespread, and relentless. Criminals have targeted critical infrastructure—healthcare,1 information technology,2 financial services,3 energy sectors4—with headline-grabbing attacks that crippled businesses and harmed consumers. But there are...

A week in security (Oct 4 – Oct 10)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs Does Cybersecurity Awareness Month actually improve security? Police take a piece out of a ransomware gang, but won’t say which one Neiman Marcus data breach affects millions Windows 11 is out. Is it any good for security? Criminals were inside Syniverse for 5 years...

Ransomware Group FIN12 Aggressively Going After Healthcare Targets

An "aggressive" financially motivated threat actor has been identified as linked to a string of RYUK ransomware attacks since October 2018, while maintaining close partnerships with TrickBot-affiliated threat actors and using a publicly available arsenal of tools such as Cobalt Strike Beacon...

Talos Takes Ep. #71 (NCSAM edition): Reflecting on ransomware in 2021

By Jon Munshaw. The latest episode of Talos Takes is available now. Download this episode and subscribe to Talos Takes using the buttons below, or visit the Talos Takes page. We are from the first or last people to say this, but 2021 is the year of ransomware. It’s by far the biggest story... Thi...

Ransomware in the CIS

Introduction These days, when speaking of cyberthreats, most people have in mind ransomware, specifically cryptomalware. In 2020–2021, with the outbreak of the pandemic and the emergence of several major cybercriminal groups Maze, REvil, Conti, DarkSide, Avaddon, an entire criminal ecosystem took...

VMware ESXi Servers Encrypted by Lightning-Fast Python Script

Researchers have discovered a new Python ransomware from an unnamed gang that’s striking ESXi servers and virtual machines VMs with what they called “sniper-like” speed. Sophos said on Tuesday that the ransomware is being used to compromise and encrypt VMs hosted on an ESXi hypervisor in operatio...

Assess Your Risk From Ransomware Attacks, Powered by Qualys Research

Ransomware attacks are among the most significant cyber threats facing businesses today. Recent warnings about Conti ransomware, issued by a joint cybersecurity advisory from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA, FBI and National Security Agency, are a strong signal that...