the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, according to Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment in the past month, there has been an uptick in reported ransomware incidents as threat actors continue to target New Jersey private organizations and the public sector, including school districts and local municipalities. The threat actors exploited security vulnerabilities and misconfigured devices to infiltrate systems and networks and encrypt them with ransomware variants, such as Cl0P, BlackCat, LockBit, and Akira. As a result of the attacks, files were at risk of exfiltration and contained personally identifiable information (PII) of users and customers of the victim organizations.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that encrypts a victim’s files or entire computer system, rendering them inaccessible. The attacker then demands a ransom, usually in cryptocurrency, from the victim in exchange for a decryption key that can unlock the files. Ransomware attacks can have devastating consequences, causing data loss, financial harm, and disruptions to businesses and individuals. It’s a significant cybersecurity threat, and preventive measures, regular backups, and cybersecurity best practices are essential to avoid falling victim to such attacks.
Recently, New Jersey organizations experienced major disruptions to their core services and business operations due to ransomware attacks. Technology company ORBCOMM provides electronic logging device systems required by the US Department of Transportation to monitor drivers’ driving time. They became a victim of a ransomware attack that impacted their FleetManager platform and BT product line, forcing drivers to resort to paper logbooks. MGM Resorts, the parent company of Borgata , reported a cybersecurity issue affecting some of its systems and shut them down to protect the systems and data. It was later disclosed that impacted systems included the online reservation system, hotel digital keys, slot machines, and more. Ransomware groups, such as Scattered Spider and BlackCat, are reportedly responsible for the attacks. Johnson Controls International , a government contractor and major manufacturer of alarm and building automation systems, experienced a ransomware attack that impacted internal and partner operations. DHS is investigating if the data breach compromised sensitive physical security information or leaked any PII. If the attack also exposed source code used in Johnson Controls products, the breach could lead to supply chain attacks and exploitable vulnerabilities of customers using their network-connected products. The Dark Angels Team gang primarily targets government, healthcare, finance, and education and employs double extortion tactics to pressure victims to pay the ransom. This gang is responsible for the attack, which compromised network infrastructure, exfiltrated critical data, encrypted files, and deleted backups.
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