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.
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A ransomware attack in January in New Britain, Conn., and an attempted “interruption” in Meriden in February highlight the ongoing cybersecurity threat to municipalities and others.
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The city currently cannot process some online credit card payments, because of a cyber attack on one of its payment gateway providers. Officials are working to stand up a secure alternative solution.
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While overall ransomware attack numbers remained steady, higher education institutions drove a sharp rise in exposed records, fueled in part by third-party software vulnerabilities.
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A statement from officials at Joplin, Mo., City Hall said that the systems affected had been isolated and the incident reported to law enforcement. City officials also consulted a cybersecurity firm.
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The Joplin Police Department notified the local newspaper on Wednesday morning that the city’s computers were down, and as such, the newspaper would not be able to access the local crime reports.
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The Detroit-area school district’s access to phone systems and software tools has been restored following a ransomware attack June 10. Officials last week were unable to say whether data had been impacted.
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A previously unknown flaw in IT management code was exploited to push ransomware around the world to servers that used the software and were connected to the Internet, according to researchers.
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Although the details surrounding a recent cyber attack against St. Clair County, Wis., remain foggy, officials approved a policy that adds multi-factor authentication and new password standards across the county.
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The Yuba County, Calif., Board of Supervisors recently approved agreements with three different information technology companies to improve the county's IT security after a ransomware incident in February.
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State and federal authorities are still investigating a cybersecurity incident at Judson Independent School District that took down phones and email, and may have put student information and staff bank accounts at risk.
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What if your cybersecurity training isn't good enough? Sajed Naseem, CISO of New Jersey Courts, and Rebecca Rakoski, co-founder of XPAN Law Partners, share their insights on this pressing modern issue.
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Nearly a week after a ransomware attack was first detected at St. Joseph's/ Candler, the Savannah, Ga., area's largest health-care system is still not yet back to normal as officials work with the FBI on the incident.
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Zero-trust security depends on strong verification methods. Analyzing user behavior can help — if agencies have the automation power to make that data an asset, not a liability, said Palo Alto Networks’ Paul Calatayud.
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Federal officials working to define standards and tackle unanswered questions around software supply chain security have their work cut out for them, said speakers during an R Street Institute panel.
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A recent rash of major cyber attacks — some of them linked to Russia — has posed an early test for the Biden administration. The Russian government has been largely unwilling to stop these attacks.
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Staff at Judson Independent School District in San Antonio lost communications after a ransomware attack last week. Summer programs are proceeding as scheduled, but officials don't know when systems will be restored.
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Recent court proceedings have revealed details about cyber attacks on Avon and Coventry local school districts in 2017 and 2019, respectively, that cost them thousands of dollars and ravaged their networks.
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Two Russian nationals have been found guilty of participating in hacking that federal authorities say infected tens of thousands of computers globally with malicious programming, including ransomware and other attacks.
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Device owners statewide are encouraged to download an app that warns them about malicious links and apps and vulnerable Wi-Fi connections. User privacy has been a core tenet for the app’s design.
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The town’s municipal computer network is back up and running after a cyberattack one week ago that has been linked to Russian criminals and a global ransomware group, the town manager said Tuesday.
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Recent high-profile cyber attacks against prominent U.S. companies have packed a charge behind efforts to craft more meaningful federal cyber policy. Experts, however, say this is easier said than done.