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Ransomware is a kind of malware used by cybercriminals to stop users from accessing their systems or files; the cybercriminals then threaten to leak, destroy or withhold sensitive information unless a ransom is paid. Ransomware attacks can target either the data held on computer systems (known as locker ransomware) or devices (crypto-ransomware). In both instances, once a ransom is paid, threat actors typically provide victims with a decryption key or tool to unlock their data or device, though this is not guaranteed. Oliver Pinson-Roxburgh, CEO of  Defense.com , the all-in-one cybersecurity platform, shares knowledge and advice in this article on how ransomware works, how damaging it can be, and how your business can mitigate ransomware attacks from occurring. What does a ransomware attack comprise? There are three key elements to a ransomware attack: Access In order to deploy malware to encrypt files and gain control, cybercriminals need to initially gain access to an organiza

As Threat Actors Continuously Adapt their TTPs in Today's Threat Landscape, So Must You Earlier this year, threat researchers at Cybersixgill released the annual report,  The State of the Cybercrime Underground .  The research stems from an analysis of Cybersixgill's collected intelligence items throughout 2022, gathered from the deep, dark and clear web. The report examines the continuous evolution of threat actors' tactics, tools, and procedures (TTPs) in the Digital Age – and how organizations can adapt to reduce risk and maintain business resilience. This article summarizes a few of the report's findings, including trends in credit card fraud, observations about cryptocurrency, AI developments and how they're lowering barriers to entry to cybercrime, and the rise of cybercriminal "as-a-service" activities. Further below, I also discuss the need for a new security approach, combining attack surface management (ASM) and cyber threat intelligence (CTI) to

It comes as no surprise that today's cyber threats are orders of magnitude more complex than those of the past. And the ever-evolving tactics that attackers use demand the adoption of better, more holistic and consolidated ways to meet this non-stop challenge. Security teams constantly look for ways to reduce risk while improving security posture, but many approaches offer piecemeal solutions – zeroing in on one particular element of the evolving threat landscape challenge – missing the forest for the trees.  In the last few years, Exposure Management has become known as a comprehensive way of reigning in the chaos, giving organizations a true fighting chance to reduce risk and improve posture. In this article I'll cover what Exposure Management is, how it stacks up against some alternative approaches and why building an Exposure Management program should be on  your 2024 to-do list. What is Exposure Management?  Exposure Management is the systematic identification, evaluation,

On Thanksgiving Day 2023, while many Americans were celebrating, hospitals across the U.S. were doing quite the opposite. Systems were failing. Ambulances were diverted. Care was impaired. Hospitals in three states were  hit by a ransomware attack , and in that moment, the real-world repercussions came to light—it wasn't just computer networks that were brought to a halt, but actual patient care itself.  Cybercriminals are more brazen than ever, targeting smaller healthcare organizations for big payouts. Sure, it would be nice to believe thieves once lived by a code of conduct, but if one ever existed, it's been torn to shreds and tossed into the wind. Sophisticated hacker groups are now more than happy to launch cyberattacks on medical clinics, nursing homes, and other health service providers. Small- to mid-sized healthcare organizations have, unfortunately, become vulnerable targets from which cybercriminals can easily steal sensitive data, extort heavy ransoms, and, worst of all,

Cybercriminals are vipers. They're like snakes in the grass, hiding behind their keyboards, waiting to strike. And if you're a small- and medium-sized business (SMB), your organization is the ideal lair for these serpents to slither into.  With cybercriminals becoming more sophisticated, SMBs like you must do more to protect themselves. But at what price? That's the daunting question many SMBs are forced to ask. Amidst your everyday challenges, the answer seems obvious: forgo investing in a robust cybersecurity solution for the time being. However, the alternative is to cross your fingers and hope hackers don't find you. That, of course, isn't the most prudent strategy, as the uncomfortable truth is threat actors now see your organization as a quick path to profit. Therefore, if your defenses are weak—or just not there—these digital crooks are likely to disrupt your operations, access sensitive data, and extort a heavy ransom. In this article, we'll explore the financial burdens

The target of attacks has shifted from traditional infrastructure to mobile users and endpoint devices, according to a new report. Research from SpiderLabs found that malicious tools became more customized, automated and persistent in 2010. This trend combined with the popularity of mobile devices and social media is providing the perfect recipe for cybercriminals looking to compromise business, customer and user private and sensitive information. Key findings: Food and beverage regained its title as the most breached industry-representing 57% of the investigations. Third-party vendors continue to put companies at risk-88% of breaches resulting from insecure software code or lax security practices in the management of third-party technology. Cybercriminals got fresh in 2010-because in-transit credit card data is usually more recently created (more fresh) than stored data, 66% of investigations found the theft of data in transit. A single organized crime syndicate may be respon

With generative artificial intelligence (AI) becoming all the rage these days, it's perhaps not surprising that the technology has been repurposed by malicious actors to their own advantage, enabling avenues for accelerated cybercrime. According to findings from SlashNext, a new generative AI cybercrime tool called  WormGPT  has been advertised on underground forums as a way for adversaries to launch sophisticated phishing and business email compromise ( BEC ) attacks. "This tool presents itself as a blackhat alternative to GPT models, designed specifically for malicious activities," security researcher Daniel Kelley  said . "Cybercriminals can use such technology to automate the creation of highly convincing fake emails, personalized to the recipient, thus increasing the chances of success for the attack." The author of the software has described it as the "biggest enemy of the well-known ChatGPT" that "lets you do all sorts of illegal stuff.

IT and cybersecurity teams are so inundated with security notifications and alerts within their own systems, it's difficult to monitor external malicious environments – which only makes them that much more threatening.  In March, a high-profile data breach hit national headlines when personally identifiable information connected to hundreds of lawmakers and staff was leaked on the dark web. The cybersecurity incident involved the DC Health Link, an online marketplace that administers health plans for members of Congress and Capitol Hill staff. According to news reports, the FBI had successfully purchased a portion of the data – which included social security numbers and other sensitive information – on the dark web.  Because of the prominence of the victims, the story was picked up by a slew of media outlets that rarely cover dark web-related cybersecurity crimes. The story not only shed light on one of the most dangerous aspects of the internet, it reminded us that the dark web con

Automobile, Energy, Media, Ransomware? When thinking about verticals, one may not instantly think of cyber-criminality. Yet, every move made by governments, clients, and private contractors screams toward normalizing those  menaces  as a new vertical. Ransomware has every trait of the classical economical vertical. A thriving ecosystem of insurers, negotiators, software providers, and managed service experts. This cybercrime branch looks at a loot stash that counts for trillions of dollars. The cybersecurity industry is too happy to provide services, software, and insurance to accommodate this new normal.  Intense insurer lobbying in France led the finance ministry to give a positive opinion about reimbursing ransoms, against the very advice of its government's cybersecurity branch. The market is so big and juicy that no one can get in the way of "the development of the cyber insurance market." In the US, Colonial pipeline is seeking tax reductions from the loss incu

You don't like having the FBI knocking on your door at 6 am in the morning. Surprisingly, nor does your usual cybercriminal. That is why they hide (at least the good ones), for example, behind layers of proxies, VPNs, or TOR nodes. Their IP address will never be exposed directly to the target's machine. Cybercriminals will always use third-party IP addresses to deliver their attacks. There are countless ways to deliver cyberattacks. But one thing is common to all of them. The need for a pool of IP addresses to serve as a medium. Criminals need IP addresses to deliver distributed denial of service attacks. Criminals need IP addresses to hide behind when probing services. Criminals need IP addresses to attempt brute force attacks. Criminals need IP addresses to run bot networks and services. In a nutshell, criminals need to maintain IP addresses under their control for pretty much anything. It is their most important asset and is the ammo they need to deliver attacks. So how

Let's begin with a thought-provoking question: among a credit card number, a social security number, and an Electronic Health Record (EHR),  which commands the highest price on a dark web forum?   Surprisingly, it's the EHR, and the difference is stark: according to a  study , EHRs can sell for up to $1,000 each, compared to a mere $5 for a credit card number and $1 for a social security number. The reason is simple: while a credit card can be canceled, your personal data can't. This significant value disparity underscores why the healthcare industry remains a prime target for cybercriminals. The sector's rich repository of sensitive data presents a lucrative opportunity for profit-driven attackers. For 12 years running, healthcare has faced the highest average costs per breach compared to any other sector.  Exceeding an average of $10 million per breach , it surpasses even the financial sector, which incurs an average cost of around $6 million. The severity of this iss

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact, and perhaps permanently changing, how we work, cybercriminals again leveraged the distraction in new waves of cyberattacks. Over the course of 2021 we saw an increase in multiple attack approaches; some old, some new. Phishing and ransomware continued to grow from previous years, as expected, while new attacks on supply chains and cryptocurrencies captured our attention. We also saw an uptick in critical Windows vulnerabilities, again proving that no matter how many vulnerabilities are found, more will always exist.  As we enter 2022, we are seeing novel attacks originating from the conflict in Ukraine, which will certainly make their way into criminal attacks on worldwide businesses. In an upcoming webinar ( register here ), Cybersecurity company Cynet will provide an in-depth review of the high-profile attacks we saw in 2021 and provide guidance to cybersecurity professionals for 2022. What are the top cyberattacks in 2021 that Cyn