October 27, 2023 at 02:36PM
Ransomware attacks have reached record levels, with September experiencing a surge of activity. NCC Group and Check Point Software report substantial increases in attacks this year. Microsoft has identified Octo Tempest as one of the most dangerous financial criminal groups, involved in recent attacks on prominent organizations. In other news, American Family Insurance, BHI Energy, and the University of Michigan all suffered cyberattacks. Various ransomware campaigns and variants have also been detected.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes:
1. Ransomware attacks are on the rise in 2023, with September being a record-breaking month for such attacks.
2. Check Point Software has reported a 3% increase in ransomware attacks for 2023.
3. Chainalysis predicts that ransomware payments may exceed $500 million by the end of 2023.
4. Microsoft has released a report on the Octo Tempest extortion group, which is considered one of the most dangerous financial criminal groups. They are known for utilizing advanced social engineering and hacking tactics, including SIM-swapping attacks.
5. Octo Tempest is a loose-knit group of English-speaking threat actors affiliated with the BlackCat ransomware gang.
6. Several cyberattacks and data breaches have been reported, including those affecting American Family Insurance, BHI Energy, the University of Michigan, and TransForm.
7. Ransomware attacks have impacted organizations worldwide, including LDLC ASVEL, Grupo GTD, and Seiko.
8. PCrisk has identified new variants of ransomware, including STOP ransomware and JarJets ransomware.
9. Check Point Research has published a report highlighting the top ransomware families of 2023.
10. Microsoft has profiled Octo Tempest as a native English-speaking threat actor with advanced social engineering capabilities targeting companies for data extortion and ransomware attacks.