![[Whoa] Ransomware Strains Almost Double in Six Months from 5,400 to 10,666](https://i0.wp.com/www.optricsinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/security-gd7f7c8ff5_1920.jpg?fit=600%2C376&ssl=1)
A recent report from FortiGuard Labs saw ransomware variants double in total so far compared to 2021, and the year is not over yet.In a statement from FortiGuard Lab’s Chief Strategist, “Cyber adversaries are advancing their playbooks to thwart defense and scale their criminal affiliate networks. They are using aggressive execution strategies such as extortion […]
Android Trojan Goes After Facebook Accounts
A new Android Trojan has hijacked more than 10,000 Facebook accounts by stealing session cookies, according to researchers at Zimperium. The malware uses social engineering to trick users into installing malicious apps from the Google Play Store and third-party app stores.“The threat actors made use of several themes that users would find appealing such as […]
Two of the Most Common and Successful Ransomware Attack Methods are Exposed
Researchers at Coveware recently analyzed ransomware attacks during Q2 of this year and noticed a similar trend in ransomware attack methods by cybercriminals.These are the two ransomware attack methods that are gaining popularity by ransomware gangs:Email Phishing Attacks – The most common form of a cyberattack. Cybercriminals are including a malicious attachment in the phishing […]
Optrics Insider – Why JBS Paid $11M in Ransom, Impact of the Fastly Outage & the Zoll Vulnerability
Join Scott Young and Shaun Sturby from Optrics Engineering as they discuss why JBS paid $11 million in ransom (and it wasn’t to get their data back), how the Fastly outage knocked the Internet offline and Zoll’s defibrillator dashboard vulnerability advisory.Timecodes:0:00 – Intro0:20 – Today’s 3 topics0:57 – Topic 1: JBS Pays Ransom7:02 – Topic […]
Optrics Insider – Ransomware Headlines, White House Ransomware Memo & Amazon Launches Sidewalk
Join Scott Young and Shaun Sturby from Optrics Engineering as they discuss the large number of organizations in the headlines who have been hit by ransomware, the White Houses recent memo to private organizations on what they can do to prevent being a victim of a ransomware attack as well as today’s launch of Amazon’s […]
Ransomware in 2021: What has changed? Detection and mitigation strategy
A ransomware attack is a bug that we can’t shake off. Or perhaps, it can even be called a shape-shifter that somehow finds a way into networks, no matter how many armed sentries you’ve deployed in and around your perimeter.The line between ransomware and a data breach is slowly fading. Threat actors prefer ransomware over […]
Universal Health Services Becomes Next Victim of Ryuk Ransomware, Costing $67 Million
Fortune 500 hospital and health care service provider Universal Health Services (UHS) recently became victim to Ryuk ransomware in September 2020.UHS released the following statement, “The substantial majority of the unfavorable impact was attributable to our acute care services and consisted primarily of lost operating income resulting from the related decrease in patient activity as […]
![[Heads Up] Email Phishing Is Now the Top Ransomware Attack Vector](https://i0.wp.com/www.optricsinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/RansomwareAttackVectors.png?fit=596%2C405&ssl=1)
[Heads Up] Email Phishing Is Now the Top Ransomware Attack Vector
New data shows that pushback from the ransomware victim “market” may be influencing just how much cybercriminals are asking for as ransom and are being paid.2020 seemed to point to ransomware continuing to grow in devastation and cost; Ryuk reached a $34 million ransom payout, organizations were operationally brought to their knees by many of […]
Vaccine Research Companies are the Target of New Ransomware Attacks
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) warns financial organizations to be aware of campaigns actively targeting vaccine companies.If you’re a ransomware gang and you want to maximize your ransom, who do you attack? An organization working feverishly to potentially make billions of dollars via a desperately needed vaccine, of course! Take away […]
Average Ransomware Payment Significantly Increases Risk
The average ransomware payout has increased by 178% over the past year, according to researchers at Atlas VPN. In Q4 2019, the payments averaged $84,000. By Q3 2020, the average payment had risen to $234,000. These numbers have steadily increased each quarter.“From Q4 2019 to Q1 2020, the average payment demand rose by over $27 […]