Not spared: Dallas police court under a ransomware attack

On Wednesday, Dallas experienced a computer ransomware attack, resulting in the Police Department and City Hall websites going offline and some jury trials being called off. The emergency 911 system remained unaffected, but the computer-assisted dispatch system used by firefighters to attend emergency calls was disrupted, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans.

What does a ransomware hacker do when accessing a user’s system?

Hackers employ ransomware to encrypt files and demand payment, often in the form of Bitcoin, effectively holding a computer or computer system hostage. This attack can be launched against individuals, businesses, and government entities.

“In a statement, the city acknowledged that the attack had a limited impact on city services and that the city and its partners were actively working to isolate the ransomware, remove it from infected servers, and restore any impacted services.”

Source: CNN

What to do when hit with ransomware?

Get all your files encrypted and receive a ransomware message! The scenario sounds like a nightmare. But don’t panic! 

• Disconnect from the network to stop its spread
• Contact your IT department
• Call the police

Lastly, when it comes to ransomware, the only solution is to prevent it by adopting healthy cyber security habits, including software updates, using strong passwords, backing up your files, using cloud servers and external drives, and, most importantly, being vigilant.

Some famous ransomware attacks

These attacks have impacted various sectors, and cyber criminals use sophisticated methods to carry out these attacks. There has been a rise in ransomware attacks, causing widespread disruption globally.

1. Hive-2023

🔒ThreatLabz has identified the U-Bomb #ransomware group operating a victim portal that strongly resembles the former #Hive group. Screenshots for comparison are shown below: pic.twitter.com/6VSnaWQ6Lr

— Zscaler ThreatLabz (@Threatlabz) March 27, 2023

2. Black Cat-2022

The healthcare and public health sectors are most vulnerable to ransomware attacks, having a higher number of victims compared to other industries. pic.twitter.com/n5qAd0nmyS

— xactitsolutions (@xactitsolutions) March 28, 2023

3. Darkside-2021

#Breaking: The @StateDept is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification, arrest, or conviction of leaders of (or participants in) the DarkSide ransomware transnational organized crime group. https://t.co/6WrtKHb8vS pic.twitter.com/jr6qIeDLL7

— FBI (@FBI) November 4, 2021

Know more about Zcryptor ransomware.

Lastly…

The evolving nature of cyber crimes has made us all the victims. Even the policymakers and protectors are not safe. The only way to keep individuals, companies, lawmakers, and everyone who exists online is to be watchful. Keep your data secure, always!