It seems that the moral principles of the group have undergone a major change...
Contrary to its policy of not attacking non-profit organizations, the hacker group LockBit recently claimed responsibility for an attack on a children's hospital in Chicago.
In December 2022, when LockBit encrypted the computers of Canada's SickKids Hospital in Toronto, the group claimed that the target was attacked without coordination with the network's management. Then the hackers officially apologized to the hospital and provided the decryptor for free, assuring that the person who committed this attack had already been suspended from working with LockBit.
However, a year later, the situation was repeated, but this time the moral principles of hackers disappeared somewhere. St. Anthony's Hospital in Chicago, USA, was attacked by intruders on December 18, 2023. The devices of the non-profit organization were encrypted, and the amount of cash ransom that hackers set up was $ 800,000, which is an absolutely unaffordable amount for such an organization.
Cybercriminals gave the hospital a deadline for payment until February 2. Most likely, the ransom was not paid, and today the stolen data will be made publicly available.
St. Anthony's Hospital officially confirmed the attack and said that confidential patient data was indeed copied by third parties.
As it turned out during the investigation initiated by the hospital, although the penetration of internal networks itself occurred on December 18, patient data was stolen only on January 7. Now the hospital's network is no longer in danger, as specialists have taken the necessary measures and stated that they are already working on revising security policies and procedures.
So while the LockBit gang has previously shown restraint towards hospitals and other non-profit organizations, it now appears to have relaxed the requirements for its affiliated groups, allowing them to attack any organizations of their choice.
According to Jake Moore, Global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, cybercriminals will always pursue attacks that match their business goals.
Companies should not consider themselves invulnerable because of the scope of their business and always maintain the highest possible level of protection. Absolutely no one is immune from cyber attacks in our time.
Experts recommend that all organizations, regardless of their status and field of activity, pay close attention to cybersecurity and data protection issues.
In particular, it is necessary to regularly update the software; make backup copies of data, and store them in several places at once, including offline storage; train employees in the basics of cyber hygiene, as well as use modern means of protection against malware and unauthorized access.
Contrary to its policy of not attacking non-profit organizations, the hacker group LockBit recently claimed responsibility for an attack on a children's hospital in Chicago.
In December 2022, when LockBit encrypted the computers of Canada's SickKids Hospital in Toronto, the group claimed that the target was attacked without coordination with the network's management. Then the hackers officially apologized to the hospital and provided the decryptor for free, assuring that the person who committed this attack had already been suspended from working with LockBit.
However, a year later, the situation was repeated, but this time the moral principles of hackers disappeared somewhere. St. Anthony's Hospital in Chicago, USA, was attacked by intruders on December 18, 2023. The devices of the non-profit organization were encrypted, and the amount of cash ransom that hackers set up was $ 800,000, which is an absolutely unaffordable amount for such an organization.
Cybercriminals gave the hospital a deadline for payment until February 2. Most likely, the ransom was not paid, and today the stolen data will be made publicly available.
St. Anthony's Hospital officially confirmed the attack and said that confidential patient data was indeed copied by third parties.
As it turned out during the investigation initiated by the hospital, although the penetration of internal networks itself occurred on December 18, patient data was stolen only on January 7. Now the hospital's network is no longer in danger, as specialists have taken the necessary measures and stated that they are already working on revising security policies and procedures.
So while the LockBit gang has previously shown restraint towards hospitals and other non-profit organizations, it now appears to have relaxed the requirements for its affiliated groups, allowing them to attack any organizations of their choice.
According to Jake Moore, Global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, cybercriminals will always pursue attacks that match their business goals.
Companies should not consider themselves invulnerable because of the scope of their business and always maintain the highest possible level of protection. Absolutely no one is immune from cyber attacks in our time.
Experts recommend that all organizations, regardless of their status and field of activity, pay close attention to cybersecurity and data protection issues.
In particular, it is necessary to regularly update the software; make backup copies of data, and store them in several places at once, including offline storage; train employees in the basics of cyber hygiene, as well as use modern means of protection against malware and unauthorized access.
