Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware in which hackers access files and encrypt them, demanding payment to restore access. Coverage includes ransomware attacks on cities, states, schools and public utilities, as well as legislative efforts to curb the threat and set policy on how to respond.
A federal grand jury has indicted a North Korean national for his part in an alleged hacking and extortion conspiracy that targeted a Kansas hospital, NASA, U.S. Air Force bases and health-care entities from Colorado to Florida.
Several recently released cyber industry reports show steady or growing ransomware numbers in 2024 so far, and impacts on business and government have never been greater.
More than 200,000 people nationwide had their Social Security numbers, medical information, health insurance details and other data exposed during a Dallas County ransomware attack last fall.
The local government declared a “local disaster emergency” due to a “significant disruption in services as a result of a criminal ransomware attack.” This follows disruptions to the county courthouse and probation/community corrections.
All Clay County Courthouse offices and the Clay County Health Department are closed as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, and they will remain closed Wednesday as officials evaluate the developing situation there.
This new cyber attack has disrupted the state’s ability to issue death and birth certificates, and the breach might be putting sensitive patient data at risk.
Services affected in the incident, detected June 19, have been restored, and the incident did not “materially” affect the city’s service provision, according to a statement. It’s unclear how far the attack went before it was detected.
A data breach in June by the Akira Ransomware Group exposed files containing personal identifiable information. Officials don't know if the attackers copied those files, but they expect the district to recover by Aug. 1.
Every one of these attacks is an outrage, disrupting commerce, threatening the prospects of otherwise healthy organizations and requiring lavish investments to harden systems against hacking.
Four days after a ransomware attack crippled its systems, the California-based Patelco Credit Union remained unable to tell its members when banking operations would return to normal.
