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.
A threat actor has been targeting government entities with PureCrypter malware downloader that has been seen delivering multiple information stealers and ransomware strains. [...]
The Amsterdam cybercrime police team has arrested three men for ransomware activity that generated €2.5 million from extorting small and large organizations in multiple countries. [...]
Dole Food Company, one of the world' largest producers and distributors of fresh fruit and vegetables, has announced that it is dealing with a ransomware attack that impacted its operations. [...]
With ransomware attacks disrupting businesses and governments worldwide, we take a look at the latest finding in a recent ransomware report. [...]
A ransomware threat called HardBit has moved to version 2.0 and its operators are trying to negotiate a ransom payment that would be covered by the victim's insurance company. [...]