Tag Archive for: network

Chambersburg School District’s network disruption related to ransomware

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The Chambersburg Area School District in Franklin County says the network disruption it has been dealing with is related to ransomware.Classes were back in session Thursday after being canceled for three days because of what the district called a “computer network issue.”The district has brought in forensic experts to look into the problem.In the latest message posted to its website, the district said, “We will continue to investigate to determine the full nature and scope of this event working alongside our subject matter specialists as well as law enforcement. We remain dedicated to the safety of our school community and the privacy of the personal and confidential information in our care and will continue to provide further updates as more information is confirmed. Thank you for your ongoing patience and support during this time.”

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. —

The Chambersburg Area School District in Franklin County says the network disruption it has been dealing with is related to ransomware.

Classes were back in session Thursday after being canceled for three days because of what the district called a “computer network issue.”

The district has brought in forensic experts to look into the problem.

In the latest message posted to its website, the district said, “We will continue to investigate to determine the full nature and scope of this event working alongside our subject matter specialists as well as law enforcement. We remain dedicated to the safety of our school community and the privacy of the personal and confidential information in our care and will continue to provide further updates as more information is confirmed. Thank you for your ongoing patience and support during this time.”

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How was Qakbot cybersecurity ransomware network dismantled?

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Cybersecurity triumph: how U.S. authorities crippled a multi-million dollar ransomware operation. (Source - Shutterstock)
  • U.S. authorities cripple a ransomware network, seizing US$9M in cryptocurrency.
  • The impact of Operation Duck Hunt will be felt by 700,000 victims.
  • The FBI and international agencies collaborate to dismantle Qakbot, a ransomware threat to national cybersecurity and critical infrastructure.

In a landmark victory against cybercrime, the U.S. Justice Department recently revealed the significant takedown of a ransomware network, marking a pivotal moment in cybersecurity and the ongoing battle against cyberthreats. This operation highlights the intricate web of criminal activities and the extraordinary efforts required for law enforcement agencies to dismantle them.

The success of this operation also underscores the escalating threat of ransomware attacks in cybersecurity, which have increasingly targeted not just corporations, but critical infrastructure and public institutions. In an era where digital safety can influence national security, the takedown offers relief and a stern reminder of the dangers lurking in the cyber landscape.

Building on these concerns, the Justice Department has taken decisive action. As reported by Bloomberg, federal investigators have just dealt a devastating blow to one such ransomware operation, neutralizing a criminal network likely responsible for  hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

The FBI pulled off a cybersecurity coup, seizing a ransomware network and stolen assets.

Some days, it’s good to be the FBI.

International partnerships to take down the notorious network

Working in collaboration with its international counterparts, the FBI disrupted the Qakbot botnet—essentially a collection of malware-infected computers employed in executing these cyberattacks. Law enforcement is now in the process of deactivating the malware across thousands of affected computers.

Code-named “Operation Duck Hunt,” this initiative not only disabled the botnet but also confiscated nearly US$9 million in cryptocurrency – funds accrued from various ransomware activities.

According to official reports, Qakbot affected 700,000 victims, around 200,000 of which are based in the United States. The network’s attacks have significantly…

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FBI, European agencies announce major takedown of hacker network that used Qakbot software

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LOS ANGELES — The FBI and its European partners infiltrated and seized control of a major global malware network used for more than 15 years to commit a gamut of online crimes including crippling ransomware attacks, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

They then remotely removed the malicious software agent – known as Qakbot – from thousands of infected computers.

Cybersecurity experts said they were impressed by the deft dismantling of the network but cautioned that any setback to cybercrime would likely be temporary.

“Nearly ever sector of the economy has been victimized by Qakbot,” Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said Tuesday in announcing the takedown.

He said the criminal network had facilitated about 40 ransomware attacks alone over 18 months that investigators said netted Qakbot administrators about $58 million.

Qakbot’s ransomware victims included an Illinois-based engineering firm, financial services organizations in Alabama and Kansas, along with a Maryland defense manufacturer and a Southern California food distribution company, Estrada said.

Officials said $8.6 million in cybercurrency was seized or frozen but no arrests were announced.

Estrada said the investigation is ongoing. He would not say where administrators of the malware, which marshaled infected machines into a botnet of zombie computers, were located. Cybersecurity researchers say they are believed to be in Russia and/or other former Soviet states.

Officials estimated the so-called malware loader, a digital Swiss knife for cybercrooks also known as Pinkslipbot and Qbot, was leveraged to cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage since first appearing in 2008 as an information-stealing bank trojan. They said millions of people in nearly every country in the world have been affected.

Typically delivered via phishing email infections, Qakbot gave criminal hackers initial access to violated computers. They could then deploy additional payloads including ransomware, steal sensitive information or gather intelligence on victims to facilitate financial fraud and crimes such as tech support and romance scams.

The Qakbot network was “literally feeding the global cybercrime supply chain,” said Donald Alway,…

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Lehigh Valley Health Network hit by cyber attack. Here’s the patient info hackers stole

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Reuters

Sandoz launches rival version of AbbVie’s arthritis drug Humira

The Novartis-owned company said its drug, Hyrimoz, will be priced at a 5% discount off Humira’s current list price of $6,922 per month, but that it was also offering an unbranded version of Humira at an 81% discount. Healthcare experts have said that drugmakers will probably launch their Humira biosimilars with small discounts to appeal to pharmacy benefit managers, which take some of their fees as a percentage of the discounts they negotiate on behalf of their customers – large employers and health insurance plans.

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