Major ransomware attack hits at least 200 companies

WASHINGTON DC, ANI

American cyber officials are now tracking a major new ransomware attack that has hit the networks of at least 200 companies in the United States. This attack is believed to be operated from Eastern Europe or Russia.

CNN reported that a major new ransomware attack by the same group that hit meat supplier JBS Foods this spring is being tracked by the US cyber officials. This time, the REvil malware has hit a wide range of IT management companies and compromised hundreds of their corporate clients.

The cybercriminal gang, which is believed to operate out of Eastern Europe or Russia, targeted a key software vendor known as Kaseya, whose products are widely used by IT management companies, cybersecurity experts said.

This latest ransomware attack has already knocked out at least a dozen IT support firms that rely on Kaseya’s remote management tool called VSA, said Kyle Hanslovan, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Huntress Labs. In at least one case, Hanslovan said, the attackers demanded a ransom of $5 million.

Cybercriminals have increasingly targeted organisations that play critical roles across broad swaths of the US economy in the past several months. A high-profile attack against Colonial Pipeline in May disrupted fuel shipments to gas stations all along the east coast, prompting widespread panic buying.

The JBS cyberattack led to a temporary shutdown of all nine of its US beef-processing plants. The latest, rapidly unfolding attack prompted alarm among cybersecurity experts.

In a blog post, Kaseya said it has shut down its cloud servers as it investigates the VSA incident.