Category Archives: ransomware

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Hacker in Snowflake Extortions May Be a U.S. Soldier

Two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing data from and extorting dozens of companies that used the cloud data storage company Snowflake, but a third suspect — a prolific hacker known as Kiberphant0m — remains at large and continues to publicly extort victims. However, this person’s identity may not remain a secret for long: […]

Low-Drama ‘Dark Angels’ Reap Record Ransoms

A ransomware group called Dark Angels made headlines this past week when it was revealed the crime group recently received a record $75 million data ransom payment from a Fortune 50 company. Security experts say the Dark Angels have been around since 2021, but the group doesn’t get much press because they work alone and […]

U.S. Trades Cybercriminals to Russia in Prisoner Swap

Twenty-four prisoners were freed today in an international prisoner swap between Russia and Western countries. Among the eight Russians repatriated were several convicted cybercriminals. In return, Russia has reportedly released 16 prisoners, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Among the more notable Russian hackers released in the prisoner swap […]

The Stark Truth Behind the Resurgence of Russia’s Fin7

The Russia-based cybercrime group dubbed “Fin7,” known for phishing and malware attacks that have cost victim organizations an estimated $3 billion in losses since 2013, was declared dead last year by U.S. authorities. But experts say Fin7 has roared back to life in 2024 — setting up thousands of websites mimicking a range of media […]

‘Operation Endgame’ Hits Malware Delivery Platforms

Law enforcement agencies in the United States and Europe today announced Operation Endgame, a coordinated action against some of the most popular cybercrime platforms for delivering ransomware and data-stealing malware. Dubbed “the largest ever operation against botnets,” the international effort is being billed as the opening salvo in an ongoing campaign targeting advanced malware “droppers” […]

How Did Authorities Identify the Alleged Lockbit Boss?

Last week, the United States joined the U.K. and Australia in sanctioning and charging a Russian man named Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev as the leader of the infamous LockBit ransomware group. LockBit’s leader “LockBitSupp” claims the feds named the wrong guy, saying the charges don’t explain how they connected him to Khoroshev. This post examines the […]

Cyber Security Today, Week in Review for week ending Friday April 19, 2024

Welcome to Cyber Security Today. This is the Week in Review for the week ending Friday, April 19th, 2024. I’m Howard Solomon. In a few minutes Jen Ellis, a member of the Ransomware Task Force will be here to talk about the group’s recent report on what governments need to do before banning ransom payments. […]

Cyber Security Today, April 15, 2024 – Act fast to a plug hole in Palo Alto Networks firewall, Canadian comedy festival loses over $800K in email scam, and more

Act fast to a plug hole in Palo Alto Networks firewall, Canadian comedy festival loses over $800K in email scam, and more. Welcome to Cyber Security Today. It’s Monday, April 15th, 2024. I’m cybersecurity reporter Howard Solomon. A critical vulnerability in the GlobalProtect feature of Palo Alto Networks’ PAN-OS operating system has been exploited at […]

Cyber Security Today, April 3, 2024 – New Linux vulnerability is found, and a must-read ransomware case study

A new Linux vulnerability is found and a must-read ransomware case study. Welcome to Cyber Security Today. It’s Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024. I’m Howard Solomon, contributing reporter on cybersecurity for ITWorldCanada.com and TechNewsday.com in the U.S. Following on the shattering discovery of a backdoor hidden in an open-source Linux compression utility comes news of a […]

BlackCat Ransomware Group Implodes After Apparent $22M Payment by Change Healthcare

There are indications that U.S. healthcare giant Change Healthcare has made a $22 million extortion payment to the infamous BlackCat ransomware group (a.k.a. “ALPHV“) as the company struggles to bring services back online amid a cyberattack that has disrupted prescription drug services nationwide for weeks. However, the cybercriminal who claims to have given BlackCat access […]