Uncle Sam urges action after Black Basta ransomware infects Ascension

Uncle Sam urges action after Black Basta ransomware infects Ascension

May 13, 2024 at 02:37PM

Several US security agencies have issued advisories on the Black Basta ransomware gang, responsible for a recent attack on US healthcare provider Ascension. The group has targeted organizations across critical infrastructure sectors, including healthcare. Affected organizations are urged to apply recommended mitigations and report incidents to law enforcement. Ascension is actively working on system restoration following the attack.

The meeting notes provide a comprehensive overview of the recent cyber attack on the U.S. healthcare provider, Ascension, and the activities of the Black Basta ransomware group. The key takeaways can be summarized as follows:

1. Black Basta has targeted a significant number of organizations, including those in the healthcare sector. Their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) have been the focus of advisories from multiple security agencies.
2. The potential impact on healthcare organizations due to cyber attacks is highlighted, emphasizing the need for proactive defense measures.
3. Specific details regarding the operations of Black Basta, including their ransom demands and methods of compromise, have been revealed. The importance of reporting incidents to the appropriate authorities, such as the local FBI field office or CISA, is emphasized.
4. Ascension’s response to the attack is outlined, with an emphasis on the ongoing operational disruptions and the efforts being made to restore systems and provide patient care.

In response, it’s crucial for organizations to implement the recommendations provided by security agencies, including patching vulnerabilities, deploying multi-factor authentication (MFA), securing remote access software, maintaining backups, and conducting staff training on recognizing phishing emails. Additionally, continued monitoring of any developments related to Black Basta and the recovery progress at Ascension is recommended.

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