Ransomware encrypts or steals data to disrupt operations and extort victims, making backups, access controls, and incident response essential.
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Background for this topic.
Ransomware is malware used to deny access to systems or data, usually by encrypting files and demanding payment for decryption. Many operations also steal sensitive information and threaten to publish it, so an attack can create both an availability crisis and a privacy or disclosure risk. Initial access may involve phishing, stolen credentials, exposed remote services, or exploitation of unpatched vulnerabilities; attackers may then move through the network before deploying the payload.
Defenses should combine vulnerability management, phishing-resistant authentication where practical, endpoint and network monitoring, and backups that are isolated from routine administrator access and regularly tested for recovery. Organizations should also limit privileges and segment critical systems to reduce the blast radius. An incident requires rapid containment, preservation of forensic evidence, restoration from known-good backups, and assessment of notification, legal, and regulatory obligations. Threat intelligence can help identify relevant criminal infrastructure or tactics, but it does not replace sound access control, patching, detection, and recovery practices.
Ransomware attacks are increasing significantly, with reports indicating that last month was a record month for ransomware attacks in 2023. [...]
Microsoft has published a detailed profile of a native English-speaking threat actor with advanced social engineering capabilities it tracks as Octo Tempest, that targets companies in data extortion and ransomware attacks. [...]
Microsoft has published a detailed profile of a native English-speaking threat actor with advanced social engineering capabilities it tracks as Octo Tempest, that targets companies in data extortion and ransomware attacks. [...]
Chile's Grupo GTD warns that a cyberattack has impacted its Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform, disrupting online services. [...]
Japanese watchmaker Seiko has confirmed it suffered a Black Cat ransomware attack earlier this year, warning that the incident has led to a data breach, exposing sensitive customer, partner, and personnel information. [...]
Ransomware incidents continue to grow at an alarming pace, targeting the enterprise and governments worldwide. Learn more from Specops Software on how ransomware gangs gain initial access to networks and how to protect against attacks. [...]
French professional basketball team LDLC ASVEL (ASVEL) has confirmed that data was stolen after the NoEscape ransomware gang claimed to have attacked the club. [...]
Ransomware activity in September reached unprecedented levels following a relative lull in August that was still way above regular standards for summer months. [...]
In a rare display of transparency, US energy services firm BHI Energy details how the Akira ransomware operation breached their networks and stole the data during the attack. [...]