Reports of ransomware attack incidents grew considerably as of the second half of 2019, and apparently the trend has continued. A cloud computing security firm has reported an infection with encryption malware affecting the Australian offices of a multinational company; the hackers responsible for the attack demand a ransom of $30 million USD to restore access to the affected systems.
Australian authorities have confirmed the incident, although the name of the company victim of the attack was reserved. However, it is known that the multinational firm has had to suspend its activities almost entirely after the incident.
For now, sources close to the company claim that the personal information of customers and employees has not been compromised. In addition, the informants say that the managers have decided not to give up to the demands of the cybercriminals, as they will have the support of a prestigious cloud computing security firm during the incident recovery process.
This is not the only similar incident reported on Australian territory recently. A few days ago, the logistics and transportation firm Toll Group revealed that its systems had been infected with encryption malware, an incident that disrupted the company’s regular activities.
Moreover, car auctioneer firm Manheim also revealed that it was the victim of a recent ransomware attack that would have compromised personal details of its customers. This incident would have been detected on February 15, although internal investigation is still ongoing: “We have been the subject of a malware attack created to disrupt access to our computer systems; with the help of a cloud computing security firm we will resume our normal activities as soon as possible,” the company’s statement reads.
Australian authorities have received 68 complaints of ransomware attacks in the past twelve months. In this regard, the Consumer Protection Commission recommends that we remain alert to the constant cybersecurity threats faced by companies, as these incidents can represent considerable economic losses, either by paying fines for non-compliance with information protection, or to cover costly recovery processes.
The International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS) ensures that the main cause of ransomware infections remain malicious emails, which are received by users without cybersecurity knowledge, making them especially vulnerable to these attacks.
He is a well-known expert in mobile security and malware analysis. He studied Computer Science at NYU and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2003. He is actively working as an anti-malware expert. He also worked for security companies like Kaspersky Lab. His everyday job includes researching about new malware and cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in mobile security and mobile vulnerabilities.
