Cyber News Rundown: Ryuk Wreaks Healthcare Havoc | Webroot

Ryuk Shuts Down Universal Health Services

Computer systems for all 400 Universal
Health Services facilities around the globe have reportedly been shut down
following an attack by the Ryuk ransomware group. Ryuk is known for targeting
large organizations, but the healthcare industry has been gaining popularity
among these groups due to high volumes of sensitive information and typically
low levels of security. It’s unknown if the healthcare firm has paid ransoms
for the encrypted data or if they are restoring systems from available backups.

Global Insurance Firm Targeted by Ransomware

The Fortune 500 insurance firm AJG
was forced to take several computer systems offline over the weekend after
identifying a cyber-attack. It’s still unclear which ransomware variant was
responsible for the attack and officials with the firm haven’t revealed if customer
or employee information was stolen. Third-party researchers confirmed multiple AJG
servers, unpatched for a serious vulnerability, could have been the entry point
for the attack.

French Shipping Company Knocked Offline by Ransomware

All computer systems and websites belonging to CMA
CGM, a French shipping giant, were knocked offline by a crippling ransomware
attack. This attack on CMA CGM makes them the fourth international shipping
company to fall victim to a cyberattack, which have proven profitable, in as
many years. The company has verified that the Ragnar Locker ransomware group
was behind the attack, though they have not revealed the ransom asked.

Cyber Attack Forces Swatch to Disconnect Online Services

Though not confirmed by Swatch,
the Swiss watchmaker was reportedly forced to take many of their systems
offline after likely falling victim to a ransomware attack. While the company
did not verify the type of attack, ransomware’s prevalence this year makes it a
likely culprit. Swatch has announced they plan to seek legal action against the
attackers.

DDoS Attacks See Substantial Rise in 2020

There were over 4.8 million DDoS
attacks during the first half of 2020, a 15% rise over the same period last
year. May alone saw more than 900,000 DDoS attacks, a record for most in a
single month. Ninety percent of these attacks lasted for under an hour, marking
another shift from previous years’ attacks. They have also increased in
complexity, leaving victims and researchers with little time to defend
themselves.