Breach Prevention Blog

Cybercriminals have pounced on the COVID-19 crisis, made clear by the number of ransomware attacks increasing by at least 150 percent in 2020. As a follow-on consequence, organizations have started purchasing cyber insurance policies to hedge against the financial risk of a successful cyber attack. 

This week in security news in review, we have reporting on the Avaddon ransomware gang closing down, Google releasing a new framework about supply chain attack prevention, and a new malware that prevents you from visiting piracy sites. These and other stories in this week’s edition of the cyber news you need to know. 

In the early morning of May 14th this year, security staff attached to the National Cyber Security Centre in Ireland noticed suspicious activity within IT networks connected to the country's Health Service Executive, the HSE. Hours later, IT systems in dozens of hospitals, clinics, and health providers -- all serving the country's population of nearly five million people -- had been shut down with what turned out to be a devastating Conti ransomware attack. 

Welcome to your weekly roundup of cybersecurity news. In the current edition, you’ll find information about a new campaign by the threat group behind the SolarWinds supply chain attack, Belgian authorities closing a campaign they think originated in China, and information on a new cybersecurity directive for pipeline operators. 

Read on for the news!

With remote care, connected devices, and more efficient use of data digitizing healthcare delivery, cybersecurity has never been more vital for providers. Despite the benefits to patient care, however, there are some major weak spots that still remain for providers.

With healthcare under continuous attack from threat actors, not only will new vulnerabilities emerge, but existing cybersecurity weaknesses are also set to become more critical as providers leverage digital technology more frequently. 

This week in Security News in Review, you’ll find plans from the U.S. government on disrupting threat actor networks, more action from the DarkSide gang, and FIN7 masquerading as a security analysis firm. 

Has there ever been a threat to your business risk quite like a ransomware attack? One that strikes without warning to cripple a company almost instantly; one that afflicts organizations regardless of their size, industry, or importance; or one that appears so unstoppable even to the well-prepared?

In this week’s edition of Security News in Review, we have stories about the U.S. Department of Homeland Security calling for mandatory disclosure of ransom payments, reports about the Babuk ransomware shutting down, and the revelation that a German police operation uninstalled Emotet. 

Cybersecurity is generally not the first thing on anyone’s mind when she or he is contemplating a major operation or a prolonged hospital stay. However, with the healthcare sector experiencing a constant rise in cyber attacks, the potential health impact of getting caught in the crossfire of a ransomware attack is now an increasingly frightening prospect for a significant number of healthcare consumers. 

Cybercrime is on the rise across all levels of industry and government. Nowhere is that more apparent than in financial services, where firms like banks and credit unions experience attacks nearly 300x more often than other industries. This is even accounting for the increased risk of cyberattack that schools and healthcare organizations faced as targets of opportunity in the COVID-19 pandemic.