Catalin Cimpanu reports: In what appears to be a first on the cyber-espionage scene, a nation-state-backed hacking group has used a Google Chrome extension to infect victims and steal passwords and cookies from their browsers. This is the first time an APT (Advanced Persistent Threat –an industry term for nation-state hacking groups) has been seen…
Category: Malware
Over 20,000 PCs infected with new ransomware strain in China
Catalin Cimpanu reports: Over 20,000 Chinese users have had their Windows PCs infected with a new strain of ransomware that encrypts their files and demands a 110 yuan (~$16) ransom. The ransomware is exclusively targeting the Chinese internet space, and there’s no threat to international users, at least yet. Read more on ZDNet.
Thundermist Health Center dealing with ‘ransomware’ attack
Sarah Doiron reports from Rhode Island: A local health center is working to resolve problems with its computer system after officials say it was the target of a “ransomware” attack. Thundermist Health Center, which is based out of Woonsocket and has offices in South Kingstown and West Warwick, was hit with the attack around 8…
IL: Center for Vitreo-Retinal Diseases notifies more than 20,300 patients after ransomware attack
On November 16, the Center for Vitreo-Retinal Diseases in Illinois notified HHS of a breach that they coded as “unauthorized access/disclosure” involving PHI on the network server. Here is the notice on their web site that describes what the ransomware incident: The Center for Vitreo-Retinal Diseases has become aware of a potential data security incident…
Two Iranian Men Indicted for Deploying Ransomware to Extort Hospitals, Municipalities, and Public Institutions, Causing Over $30 Million in Losses
A federal grand jury returned an indictment unsealed today in Newark, New Jersey charging Faramarz Shahi Savandi, 34, and Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri, 27, both of Iran, in a 34-month-long international computer hacking and extortion scheme involving the deployment of sophisticated ransomware, announced Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski…
OVMC, EORH patients diverted to other hospitals after ransomware attack
Linda Comins of The Intelligencer is reporting: Emergency squad patients are being diverted away from Ohio Valley Medical Center and East Ohio Regional Hospital this weekend because the hospitals’ computer system has been attacked by Ransomware. Karin Janiszewski, director of marketing and public relations for OVMC and EORH, confirmed Saturday afternoon that a Ransomware attack…