Ransomware

National Cyber Director Chris Inglis and representatives of CISA and the FBI Cyber Division discussed state and local cybersecurity supports, incident reporting law and larger anti-ransomware strategies in a House hearing.

After an April ransomware attack downed systems for two weeks, Gary, Ind., officials are hoping a new cybersecurity contract will help fend off threats and reduce the chances of a repeat incident.

The United States and European allies recently made multiple arrests for cyber crimes committed by the international ransomware group called REvil. Whether the arrests will make a real impact remains to be seen.

A report by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson's office says 6.3 million notices of data breaches have been delivered to state residents in 2021. This number eclipses the previous record of 3.5 million in 2018.

Not only is ransomware the top cybersecurity story in 2021, but new twists, turns and countermeasures keep coming. Here are the latest headlines and what news you need.

The editorial board of The Republican notes the rising cost of cybersecurity attacks on public agencies, the fast-growing job market for cyber professionals, and a wealth of certification and degree programs.

A cyber attack has temporarily shut down the computer system and website of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. Officials don't know how long it will take to get the network working again.

Cybercriminals, who are becoming increasingly sophisticated, could take advantage of natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes to wreak havoc on critical infrastructure, experts say.

Corry Area School District in Pennsylvania will take months to investigate a ransomware incident last month that may have exposed private information from students and staff at the school before 2011.

A new Cyber Training and Exercise Range at Texas A&M University, part of its Cyber Readiness Center, allows other government organizations to train their employees with cyber attack simulations and hands-on exercises.

It’s often said that people are the problem in IT security, but ensuring staff are engaged with cyber protocol, having a strong plan in place, and coordinating efforts across state and local agencies can stop attacks.

Microsoft suspects that Nobelium, the group of state-sponsored Russian cyber criminals responsible for the SolarWinds fiasco, is taking aim at suppliers and resellers of tech products, including cloud-based solutions.

Educators are concerned about killware, the latest type of cyber attack, which can cause deaths by disabling life-and-death technological systems such as hospital networks or public utilities like water and power.

Janesville School District in Wisconsin said no data was accessed or destroyed, but students, staff and families are without programs such as Infinite Campus, Classlink, web-based textbooks and other resources.

The U.S. Treasury Department has estimated the first six months of 2021 saw a total of $590 million connected to ransomware. In 2020, the number for the entire year was only $410 million.

The idea behind killware, a new type of cyber attack, is to disable or manipulate the electronic or computer equipment that humans depend on, resulting in potential harm or death to individuals.

Following a ransomware attack March 12 that shut down systems and forced the cancellation of classes, Buffalo Public Schools is spending nearly $10 million on network security, fraud monitoring and other services.

New legislation will direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to conduct a review of vulnerabilities in schools nationwide and give them information and resources to prevent cyber attacks.