Latest coverage for Akira

Businesses That Inherit SSL VPNs Through M&A Activity Falling Victim, Warn ExpertsMultiple large enterprises that inherited SonicWall SSL VPN devices when they acquired a smaller entity have fallen victim to the Akira ransomware group, security researchers warn. Investigations of multiple intrusions found they began when attackers used "unmonitored and unrotated" credentials.

Also: Akira Ransomware Targets Healthcare, AI's Sycophancy Becomes a Security RiskIn this week's ISMG Editors' Panel, four editors discussed the staffing crisis confronting America's cyber defense agency, the escalating Akira ransomware threat putting more pressure on healthcare, and growing concerns over whether AI models used in security can actually be trusted.

Akira Ransomware Hackers Targeting SonicWall DevicesFirewall maker SonicWall said Friday all customers who used its cloud backup services are at increased "risk of targeted attacks" following a recent cyberattack. The California firm in September disclosed that unidentified hackers launched brute-force attacks against servers storing backup files.

Akira Ransomware Hackers Targeting SonicWall DevicesFirewall maker SonicWall said Friday all customers who used its cloud backup services are at increased "risk of targeted attacks" following a recent cyberattack. The California firm in September disclosed that unidentified hackers launched brute-force attacks against servers storing backup files.

'Opportunistic, Mass Exploitation' Campaign Surging, Say Cybersecurity ResearchersAttackers wielding Akira ransomware appear to be engaged in an "opportunistic, mass exploitation" of SonicWall SSL VPN servers, even when they're using the latest firmware and configured to require multifactor authentication one-time passwords, warn cybersecurity researchers.

Also, Akira Ransomware Resumes Attacks Via SonicWall FlawsThis week, the Vidar infostealer, BlackDB admin, Akira ransomware hackers and Patch Tuesday. A warning for British bankers, a Cursor flaw, a Brazilian dating app shut down. KazMunayGas said it wasn't hacked. Wealthsimple and Hello Gym data breaches. A macOS backdoor hid in plain sight for years.

Akira Ransomware Exploited MFA-Protected SonicWall SSL VPNs, Say ResearchersSonicWall said it is probing a surge in attacks against its Gen 7 firewalls, running various firmware versions, which have SSL VPN enabled. Researchers said attackers may have been exploiting a zero-day vulnerability and that multiple victims have been infected with Akira ransomware.

Also, Baltimore Public Schools Suffer Data Breach, Disney Menu Hacker SentencedThis week, zero-day exploits surged, accused Nefilim hacker extradited, Baltimore schools breach, CISA lists Broadcom Brocade, Commvault flaws, a fake WooCommerce patch, Akira hit Hitachi Vantara, ex-Disney worker sentenced and a Darcula phishing kit upgrade. FBI published 42,000 phishing domains.

RansomHub, Play, Akira and Clop Among the Groups Claiming the Most VictimsRansomware operations have collectively claimed what amounts to a surge in new victims. Researchers trace much of this activity to RansomHub, Play and Akira, as well as Clop, which continues to drip-feed details about its attack on users of Cleo Communications' managed file-transfer software.

RansomHub, Play and Akira Appear to Dominate; Numerous Newcomers Join the FrayWhile ransomware groups' data-leak sites regularly lie, if taken at face value, in December 2024 they collectively listed the largest number of victims ever seen in a one-month period, dominated by RansomHub, Play and Akira operations, plus a bevy of newcomers, researchers report.

US Healthcare Entities Are Firmly in Akira Ransomware Group's Sights, Expert WarnsRansomware groups may come and go, but often it's only in name, as the individuals involved will move on to power whatever group remains a going concern. Cue a reported flow of top talent from LockBit, which was recently disrupted by law enforcement, to Akira, which is apparently alive and well.

Recent Victims Include Pennsylvania Emergency Dispatch SystemU.S. federal authorities are again warning the healthcare sector about threats from the Akira ransomware group. The latest alert comes on the heels of several recent attacks by the gang, including one last month on Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which affected an IT system used by emergency responders.

Finnish IT Services Previews Days or Weeks of Disruption, Ties Attack to AkiraAn Akira ransomware attack that hit a data center run by Finnish IT software and services firm Tietoevry has led to widespread outages across Sweden. Healthcare, local governments, retail outlets and the country's largest cinema chain are among the organizations experiencing ongoing disruptions.

Crypto-Malware Trackers Report a Surge in Known Ransomware Victims at End of 2023Ransomware-wielding attackers show no signs of stopping, and experts report December 2023 was the second-worst month on record for known victims. Lately, Akira-wielding attackers have been hitting Finland hard, and Medusa has been behind a rising number of attacks.