Devin Fehely reports: Workers in Union City were struggling with a virus that has infected their computer systems and crippled most city-owned laptops and desktops, including many used by the police department. “An area that’s been hit for police is not only the mobile desktop computers but also the computers located in our building that…
Category: Malware
Payouts From Insurance Policies May Fuel Ransomware Attacks
AP reports: The call came on a Saturday in July delivering grim news: Many of the computer systems serving the government of LaPorte County, Indiana, had been taken hostage with ransomware. The hackers demanded $250,000. No way, thought County Commission President Vidya Kora. But less than a week later, officials in the county southeast of…
WY: Gillette hospital targeted in ransomware attack
Seth Klamann reports: Campbell County Health in Gillette was targeted in a ransomware attack Friday, according to an alert the state Department of Health sent to health care providers. The attack occurred early Friday morning, at approximately 3 a.m. The hospital “experienced serious computer issues” due to the attack. This caused a “service disruption” at…
Hackers hit Travis Central Appraisal District website
Paul Thompson reports: The Travis Central Appraisal District has been malfunctioning for about a week after it was hit by a cyberattack on Sept. 11. The agency on Sept. 19 confirmed the attack. Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler said in a statement its computer systems were attacked at 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 11. The attack affected…
Ca: Stratford paid more than $75,000 in Bitcoin following cyber attack
Galen Simmons reports: More than five months after the City of Stratford announced it had been the target of a ransomware cyber attack on April 14, officials announced Thursday that the city paid more than $75,000 in Bitcoins as ransom to the attacker. Read more on The Beacon Herald.
Tortoiseshell Group Targets IT Providers in Saudi Arabia in Probable Supply Chain Attacks
Symantec reports: A previously undocumented attack group is using both custom and off-the-shelf malware to target IT providers in Saudi Arabia in what appear to be supply chain attacks with the end goal of compromising the IT providers’ customers. The group, which we are calling Tortoiseshell, has been active since at least July 2018. Symantec…