ransomware News

Experts Confirm Cyber Incidents Up Since Invasion of Ukraine; Insurance Underwriters Adapting

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the number of cyber incidents in the U.S. has increased, and underwriters will need to adapt, according to a panel of experts at the PLUS Cyber Symposium. “There’s no doubt that attacks …

Congress Approves Cyber Attack Reporting Requirement for U.S. Companies

Companies critical to U.S. national interests will now have to report when they’re hacked or they pay ransomware, according to new rules approved by Congress. The rules are part of a broader effort by the Biden administration and Congress to …

Ukrainian Man Charged in Major Ransomware Spree Extradited to U.S.

A Ukrainian man charged last year with conducting one of the most severe ransomware attacks against U.S. targets has been extradited to the United States and made a court appearance on Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department said. According to an …

Analysis: Russian Ransomware Attacks on Ukraine Muted by Leaks, Insurance Exclusion

Warnings that pro-Russian ransomware gangs would snarl networks in Ukraine and its allies have so far failed to materialize amid disarray among the criminal underworld often behind such attacks and fears insurers would not pay out. Conti, one of the …

FBI Calls Crypto ‘Only Game in Town’ as Ransomware Flourishes

Cryptocurrencies and deep-fake technology are sending chills throughout the U.S. government, with cyber crooks embracing digital innovations so rapidly that law enforcement can barely keep up, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Crypto is the primary currency, the primary …

Gangs Now Arbitrate Payment Disputes as Ransomware Growth Continues

Cyber criminal gangs are getting increasingly adept at hacking and becoming more professional, even setting up an arbitration system to resolve payment disputes among themselves, according to a new report by the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom that …

Insurance Journal’s Top Cyber Stories of 2021

Ransomware was the word of the year in 2021 for the cyber insurance industry as attacks continued to grow in scale and complexity, and experts say this cyber threat landscape will likely continue in the new year. Kurt Suhs, founder …

Ransomware Attacks Not High-Profile or Front Page News But Still Happening Frequently

In the months since President Joe Biden warned Russia’s Vladimir Putin that he needed to crack down on ransomware gangs in his country, there hasn’t been a massive attack like the one last May that resulted in gasoline shortages. But …

Memo Cites Lessons from Ransomware Payments by CNA, JBS and Colonial Pipeline

In March 2021, CNA Financial Corp., one of the country’s largest insurance companies, suffered a ransomware attack from a cybercriminal group called Phoenix. The attackers pressured the insurer to pay up quickly by raising the ransom demand, claiming the data …

Robinhood Reports Data Breach and Extortion Payment Demand

The stock trading platform Robinhood Markets reported that it experienced a data breach on Nov. 3 that could potentially affect the email addresses of about five million customers and personal data of others. The hackers demanded an extortion payment. Robinhood …