ransomware

CISA gives ransomware victims a heads-up

The Pre-Ransomware Notification Initiative takes advantage of the time between initial penetration and data theft or encryption to notify victims so they can identify and eliminate hackers from their system.

  • By Susan Miller

CISA launches pilot to spot ransomware vulnerabilities

By uncovering vulnerabilities associated with known exploits, CISA can warn critical infrastructure organizations so they can mitigate issues before a ransomware incident occurs.

  • By Susan Miller

Ransomware payments decreased in 2022 as criminals used other extortion tactics

A report from Recorded Future found that, even as ransomware continues to pose a global challenge for individuals and organizations, threat actors are increasingly using other methods to steal sensitive data and demand payments from victims.

  • By Edward Graham

Southern states have the most open cyber exposures, report finds

The 14 states in that region have more than 100,000 vulnerabilities, misconfigurations and data leaks that all must be addressed to prevent attacks, researchers found.

  • By Chris Teale

CISA, South Korean agencies issue joint warning on North Korean ransomware

The U.S. health sector sees rise in North Korean-based ransomware attacks on digital networks and critical infrastructure.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

Ransomware victims stand up to attackers

The drop in payments is encouraging, but a lack of transparency around ransomware reporting makes it hard to say why organizations refuse to pay, researchers say.

  • By Chris Teale

Cyberattack turns up the heat on common security problems

The ransomware attack that crippled a New York county again demonstrated the need for investment, regular updates and an enterprisewide approach to security.

  • By Chris Teale

State calls for threat sharing and ransomware payment bans

Texas’ Department of Information Resources said localities should be required to report incidents and called for a state ban on paying ransomware demands.

  • By Chris Teale

Ransomware response requires better federal, state, local coordination

Federal agencies most involved with cybersecurity should improve communication with each other and with other levels of government, GAO said.

  • By Chris Teale

Russia linked to nearly 75% of late 2021 ransomware attacks, per analysis

The analyzed ransomware variants—from July to December 2021—amounted to millions of dollars in damages.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

Communication breakdowns hurt otherwise positive view of federal ransomware support, GAO says

State, local, tribal and territorial governments have “generally positive views” of agencies’ ransomware assistance, but cited “inconsistent communication” from the FBI as a challenge.

  • By Edward Graham

Hackers leak data online in escalation of LA schools ransomware attack

The group behind last month’s attack published 500 gigabytes of stolen data, but the superintendent said the district still refuses to pay the ransom.

  • By Chris Teale

The U.S. is the top target of ransomware attacks, report says

The majority of ransomware attacks worldwide targeted industries that play a "critical role" in domestic and international supply chains, including IT, health care and the public sector, according to new research.

  • By Chris Riotta

Ransomware task force outlines threat response

The Joint Ransomware Task Force is designed to unify efforts and identify ways to leverage the federal government’s unique authorities and capabilities to disrupt ransomware.

  • By Susan Miller
Featured eBooks

Cyber criminals increasingly relying on ransomware-as-a-service, report says

A new report reveals threat actors are using the same ransomware as in previous years – but relying on new malware-free intrusion methods and ransomware-as-a-service offerings to evade popular mitigation techniques.

  • By Chris Riotta

LA schools hit with ransomware attack

Schools in the nation’s second largest school district opened on Tuesday after the attack, but access to email, applications and IT systems has been disrupted.

  • By Susan Miller

Digital hygiene, cyber workforce needed to combat ransomware

The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee said it hopes to amp up the commonwealth's cybersecurity by building up its cyber workforce and leveraging the Pennsylvania National Guard's cyber protection team.

  • By Harrison Cann

Blueprint builds a ‘common language’ for ransomware protection

With more than 40 recommendations, the Blueprint for Ransomware Defense can help small to medium sized enterprises build cyber resilience.

  • By Chris Teale

Ransomware hackers will still target smaller critical infrastructure, CISA director warns

Ransomware actors target infrastructure organizations of all sizes, making cybersecurity best practices imperative, CISA Executive Director Brandon Wales said.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

North Korea behind ransomware attacks on public health sector, advisory says

Because the state-sponsored cyber actors likely assume health care organization will pay ransoms, attacks will continue, federal cybersecurity agencies say.

  • By Mariam Baksh

The changing face of ransomware

As ransomware continues as a profitable business model, attackers are squeezing the inefficiencies out of their operations.

  • By Susan Miller