Tag Archives: ransomware

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New ThiefQuest ransomware discovered targeting macOS users

Security researchers have discovered this week a new ransomware strain targeting macOS users.  Named OSX.ThiefQuest (or EvilQuest), this ransomware is different from previous macOS ransomware threats because besides encrypting the victim’s files, ThiefQuest also installs a keylogger, a reverse shell, and steals cryptocurrency wallet-related files from infected hosts. “Armed with these capabilities, the attacker can main full control over an infected host,” …

ZDNet.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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Ransomware attacks on the rise

Ransomware attacks against shipping companies have spiked in number and severity over the past year, according to security firms. Norwegian shipbuilder Vard, part of Italy’s Fincantieri, was hit last week but has declined to give details …

LlyodList click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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Forget sextortion scams, we’re more worried about deepfake ransomware

Appetite for deepfake scams is expanding among users of underground forums, leading to concerns the technology could be used as part of extortion-based ransomware attacks. Deepfakes are AI-generated videos and images that transplant the face of another individual – traditionally a celebrity or politician – into a scene in which they were not originally present. In recent years, deepfakes have been used primarily in the dissemination of fake news and the creation of hoax pornography – and have become increasingly convincing. Here’s why you shouldn’t watch ‘inappropriate content’ on remote working devices: Adult streaming site leaks info on millions of users, Stalkerware now poses a greater privacy risk than ever.  According to a report from security firm Trend Micro, deepfake technology could soon be used to blackmail members of the public or workforce into divulging sensitive information or paying significant ransom fees.

TechRadar click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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This new ransomware is targeting Windows and Linux PCs with a ‘unique’ attack

A newly uncovered form of ransomware is going after Windows and Linux systems in what appears to be a targeted campaign.  Named Tycoon after references in the code, this ransomware has been active since December 2019 and looks to be the work of cyber criminals who are highly selective in their targeting. The malware also uses an uncommon deployment technique that helps stay hidden on compromised networks. …

ZDNet.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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Ransomware creates virtual machines to fool your antivirus software

The operators of the RagnarLocker ransomware are installing the VirtualBox app and running virtual machines on computers they infect in order to run their ransomware in a “safe” environment, outside the reach of local antivirus software.  This latest trick has been spotted and detailed today by UK cyber-security firm Sophos and shows the creativity and great lengths some ransomware gangs will go to avoid detection while attacking a victim.

ZDNet.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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71% of Security Pros See Threats Jump Since COVID-19 Outbreak

Cybercriminals are exploiting fears around the COVID-19 pandemic to tailor their threats, and businesses are feeling the effects: 71% of security professionals surveyed have seen an increase in security threats or cyberattacks since the coronavirus outbreak began, researchers report.

DarkReading.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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There’s now COVID-19 malware that will wipe your PC and rewrite your MBR

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic raging all over the globe, some malware authors have developed malware that destroys infected systems, either by wiping files or rewriting a computer’s master boot record (MBR).  With help from the infosec community, ZDNet has identified at least five malware strains… This image appears just before it gets worse…

ZDNet.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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New Zoom Users beware: Hackers Now Targeting You

As people increasingly work from home and online communication platforms such as Zoom explode in popularity in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, cybercriminals are taking advantage of the spike in usage by registering new fake “Zoom” domains and malicious “Zoom” executable files in an attempt to trick people into downloading malware on their devices. …

TheHackerNews.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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2020’s Most common cyberattacks & how to defend against them

Protecting your business from cyberattacks is a never-ending challenge. But to make sure your security eggs are in the right baskets, here’s a look at the most common cyberattacks we’ll likely see this year and how to defend against them.

ZDNet.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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Ransomware victims are paying out millions a month. One has cost them the most

Over six-and-a-half years, ransomware victims have handed over vast amounts of bitcoin to crooks. Some variants of the malware have generated more ransom than others. …

ZDNet.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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Women! Hackers are demanding nude photos to unlock files in a new ransomware attack

Ransomware typically encrypts files and demands payment in bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, but security firm Emsisoft reported Wednesday that it had discovered a variant making another sort of demand: explicit photos. … In other cases, scammers on dating apps have requested nude photos from would-be suitors, then held them for ransom by threatening to leak the photos. …

FastCompany.com click the link to read the rest of the story.  Get our free tools here.

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Hackers Demand Ransom From Medical Patients After Breach

In a troubling new ransomware twist, hackers are demanding patients of Florida provider Richard Davis, MD pay a ransom to prevent the release of their personal information following a breach of the clinic’s server. … Patients are urged to share the notification with any known patients of The Center…

ampproject.org click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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New ransomware strain is now stealing data before encrypting it

The data theft takes place before the execution of the actual ransomware binary that encrypts the data. It is part of a recent trend in the ransomware scene.

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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New Ransomware overcomes PC security by rebooting into Safe Mode

SophosLabs researchers have been investigating an ongoing series of ransomware attacks in which the ransomware executable forces the Windows machine to reboot into Safe Mode before beginning the encryption process. The attackers may be using this technique to circumvent endpoint protection, which often won’t run in Safe Mode. …

Sophos.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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New ransomware attacks target your NAS devices, backup storage

The number of ransomware strains targeting NAS and backup storage devices is growing, with users “unprepared” for the threat, researchers say. … Once deployed on a system, the malware will usually encrypt files or full drives, issue its victim with a ransom note, and demand payment in return for a way to decrypt and restore access to locked content. …

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Ransomware devastated cities this year. Officials hope to prevent a repeat in 2020

Security experts expect ransomware attacks against local governments to ramp up in 2020. But government officials hope that if they can properly protect cities and stop paying the hackers, ransomware will eventually die off. …

cnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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New trojan is stealing doctors passwords and spreading ransomware

A newly discovered hacking campaign by a ‘sophisticated cyber criminal operation’ is targeting healthcare and education organisations with custom-built…  trojan malware which gives attackers… control of Windows systems with the ability to monitor actions and steal sensitive data. The malicious functions of the remote access trojan , dubbed PyXie RAT, include keylogging, credential harvesting, recording video, cookie theft, the ability to perform man-in-the-middle attacks and the capability to deploy other forms of malware onto infected systems.

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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New IoT botnet army targeting small office and home routers

Tens of thousands of Wi-Fi routers are potentially vulnerable to an updated form of malware that takes advantage of known vulnerabilities to rope these devices into a botnet for the purposes of selling distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack capabilities to cyber criminals.  A new variant of Gafgyt malware – which first emerged in 2014 – targets small office and home routers from well-known brands …

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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This easy-to-use information-stealing trojan malware is quickly gaining popularity among cyber criminals

Racoon Stealer isn’t sophisticated, but it has stolen credit card information, passwords and more from hundreds of thousands of victims, and an aggressive marketing campaign means its popularity is still growing, security researchers warn.  A new kind of easy to use trojan malware is gaining popularity among cyber criminals, providing them with simple means of stealing credit card data, passwords and cryptocurrency — and it has already infected hundreds of thousands of Windows users around the world.

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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The Keys To A Digital Disaster Recovery Plan For Business Leaders

As a small business owner, I found out that I was the perfect target for cybercriminals when I read certified IT professional Darren Coleman’s book, Easy Prey: How to Protect Your Business from Data Breach, Cybercrime, & Employee Fraud. It inspired me to arm myself with some common sense and the realization that I am responsible for my viral life just as I am for my real life. …

Forbes.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Ransomware incident to cost Danish company a whopping $95 million

Demant, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of hearing aids, expects to incur losses of up to $95 million following what appears to be a ransomware infection that hit the company at the start of the month.  This marks one of the most significant losses caused by a cyber-security incident outside of the NotPetya ransomware outbreak…

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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States preparing for ransomware voter assaults

The challenge: lock down the most exposed part of the nation’s election system.  … A ransomware attack in 2020 could prove devastating, preventing voters from registering or poll workers from confirming voter eligibility, officials say.

Cnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Ransomware hits hundreds of dentist offices in the US

Hundreds of dental practice offices in the US have had their computers infected with ransomware this week, ZDNet has learned from a source. The incident is another case of a ransomware gang compromising a software provider and using its product to deploy ransomware on customers’ systems.  In this case, the software providers are The Digital Dental Record and PerCSoft…

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Ransomware attacks have more than doubled this year

Ransomware attacks have more than doubled this year, as criminals turn to powerful new forms of file-locking malware and additional attack techniques to conduct campaigns that are more lucrative than ever before.

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Hackers Want $2.5 Million Ransom for Texas Ransomware Attacks

The threat actor behind the coordinated ransomware attack against multiple Texas local governments may have gained access to its computer systems via a third-party software provider.  According to NPR, which first reported the development, the attackers want a collective ransom of $2.5 million. So far, there are no indications the amount has been paid.

TheNextWeb.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Ransomware Attack Hits 20+ Local Governments In Texas

The number of local government entities in Texas affected by a ransomware attack is now up to 23. In a release Saturday afternoon, the Texas Department of Information Resources said the local governments reported the attacks Friday morning. The majority of them are smaller local governments. …The DIR said it is continuing to investigate the origin of the attack, but at the moment believes it came from a “single threat actor.”

Kut.org click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Top Windows Defender expert: These are the threats security hasn’t yet solved

More danger lurks around the corner as advanced techniques used by state-backed hackers, for example, to steal information, filter down to financially motivated attackers. This threat applies to the continuing growth of file-less malware, supply-chain attacks, and phishing. “We’re seeing the trend of advanced techniques being used to deliver commodity malware. Once the advanced technique becomes public knowledge…

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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Microsoft alert: Hackers using IoT to breach business networks

One of Russia’s elite state-sponsored hacking groups is going after IoT devices as a way to breach corporate networks, from where they pivot to other more high-value targets.  Attacks have been observed in the wild said the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center…

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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66% of SMBs don’t believe they are vulnerable to cyberattacks

The majority (66%) of business leaders at small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) don’t believe they will fall victim to a cyberattack… While SMBs don’t think they are at risk, a previous study conducted by the Ponemon Institute for Keeper found otherwise: 67% of SMBs experienced cyberattacks within the past year. … The report found a major gap between the awareness and reality of cyberattacks in SMBs. Only 12% of respondents said they realize how likely an attack is on any size company.

TechRepublic.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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This new Android ransomware infects you through SMS messages

A new family of ransomware designed to attack Google’s Android mobile operating system utilizes SMS messaging to spread, researchers say.   On Monday, cybersecurity professionals from ESET revealed their investigation into the new malware, dubbed Android/Filecoder.C, that earmarks the end of a two-year decline in new Android malware detections.

ZDnet.com click the link to read the rest of the story. Our FREE Tools can help!

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