Washington
CNN
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A new global ransomware campaign has hit at least 3,800 victims, including hundreds in the US, according to crowdsourced data reviewed by CNN, prompting warnings from European and US cybersecurity officials.
Only four of those victims, however, have paid ransoms so far, according to “Ransomwhere,” a platform built by cybersecurity researchers to track ransomware attacks. And the extent to which the ransomware – which encrypts computers and demands a payoff – has disrupted operations at the victim organizations, if at all, is unclear.
The attackers are exploiting a 2-year-old vulnerability in widely used software made by California-based cloud computing giant VMWare.
The tally of 3,800 victims from Ransomwhere covers IP addresses, the unique numbers that identify computers online. The tally of affected organizations could be lower than 3,800 if…
2023-02-07 17:39:31 Global ransomware campaign has US and European officials on alert
Original from www.cnn.com
Global Ransomware Campaign Has US and European Officials on Alert
World leaders are expressing increasing concern about a global ransomware campaign that has been targeting organizations in the United States and Europe.
In recent weeks, the WannaCry ransomware virus has infiltrated computer systems in thousands of organizations around the world. First discovered in Russia, the malicious software has since spread to dozens of countries, infecting computers and servers and holding them hostage in exchange for a payment in a digital currency.
The US Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and European law enforcement agencies are working to contain the threat. The agencies have been warning computer system administrators to maintain updated security software and to exercise caution when opening emails or downloading files.
US Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert has warned that the government is closely monitoring the ransomware campaign and is “very concerned” about the potential for a large-scale disruption. “It is throwing a lot of resources and attention at this,” he said in an interview with ABC News.
Meanwhile, Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, has deployed an emergency team of cyber experts to work with law enforcement agencies to investigate the ransomware attacks and offer assistance to affected countries. Rob Wainwright, the Executive Director of Europol, described the attack as “unprecedented” and said that it is “going to be a complicated investigation.”
The identified attack vector appears to be a combination of malicious emails and web-based downloads, according to security researchers. It is believed that a phishing scam is responsible for infiltrating the victims’ computer systems and deploying the file-encrypting software.
Officials are warning people to be particularly vigilant about unsolicited emails, especially those that contain links and attachments. Computer users should never open suspicious files or emails, and should always keep their security software up to date.
As this global ransomware campaign continues to present a threat to computer networks, authorities are working diligently to prevent further spread and ensure that those who are affected by this attack receive the necessary support and assistance. For now, the best defense against the spread of this virus is prevention.