Resources

Cybersecurity professionals have been keeping a close eye on the shake-ups in ransomware over the past few weeks. While many ransomware victims believe they are dealing with highly sophisticated threat actors, these cyber criminals are often one argument away from collapse. CEO Kurtis Minder was featured in the Axios Codebook Newsletter last week discussing the ongoing ransomware attack carried out by ALPHV on healthcare giant Change Healthcare. Learn more from the excerpt below or read the full article here.

Healthcare giant UnitedHealth could take months to get their data back after being attacked by ransomware gang ALPHV. With such a large amount of data, it can be very difficult to get decryption keys working—especially if you're dealing with a tough threat actor group. CEO Kurtis Minder was featured in Reuters speaking on GroupSense's experience negotiating with ALPHV in the past. Check out the excerpt below or view the full article here. 

Ransomware gang ALPHV, also known as BlackCat, went dark after attacking Change Healthcare with ransomware. They asked for a $22 million payment from the healthcare organization, and then posted a seemingly fake FBI seizure notification on their website. Fishy, right? GroupSense CEO Kurtis Minder was featured in an article on CyberScoop talking about the high ransom and its impact on organizations trying to get operational after an attack. Check out the excerpt below or read the full article here.

Just one week after the takedown of the LockBit ransomware group, it appears their servers are back online. While law enforcement seized their shame site, they appear to have missed LockBit's backup servers, allowing the group to be operational quickly. GroupSense CEO was featured in DarkReading to speak on the group's leader. Read the excerpt below or get the full article here.

Law enforcement's seizure of the LockBit ransomware site caused quite the stir last week. In the aftermath of the news, ransomware experts like GroupSense's Kurtis Minder and Analyst1's Jon DiMaggio think that law enforcement is intentionally baiting the leader of the ransomware group to incriminate himself. The experts were quoted in CyberScoop speaking on the tactic. Check out the excerpt or read the full article here.

Pharmaceutical intellectual property (IP) is highly sought after by threat actors and cyber criminals. How can pharmaceutical companies protect their most valuable asset? GroupSense's Taylor Banks was featured in Pharma Manufacturing speaking on how we have protected pharma IP for our clients and how other organizations can approach cyber protection. Read the excerpt below or jump to the full article here.

GroupSense's own Taylor Banks was featured in SC Magazine recently speaking on how AI will be used in the upcoming election cycle. Throughout the byline, Taylor discusses how threat actors will use AI to spread mis- and disinformation as well as how people are still key to detecting AI. Check out the excerpt below, and read the full article here.

Kansas State University suffered a cybersecurity breach this week. School officials are investigating the incident. GroupSense CEO Kurtis Minder provided commentary to The Mercury on the incident, lending his expertise on the results of most cyber incidents. Check out the excerpt below or read the full article here.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, a new type of attack has emerged: dual ransomware attacks. This malevolent technique involves cyber criminals launching not one, but two ransomware attacks on a single target. The first attack serves as a distraction, often relatively easy to detect, while the second attack remains hidden and wreaks havoc behind the scenes. This double-edged approach presents a significant challenge to organizations, as it requires them to not only identify and respond to the initial ransomware attack but also uncover the covert second attack. The rise of dual ransomware attacks highlights the need for organizations to bolster their cybersecurity defenses and adopt a multi-layered approach to protect against sophisticated and relentless threats.

GroupSense CEO Kurtis Minder was featured in the Tuesday, November 7 issue of the Axios Codebook Newsletter. The "1 big thing" section is focused on the government's statement on not paying ransoms. Check out the excerpt below, and check out the full newsletter here.

Driving the news: A group of 48 governments, as well as the European Union and Interpol, signed a pledge last week to not pay hackers if their systems are hit with a ransomware attack.

• The commitment, which was made as part of last week's U.S.-led Counter Ransomware Initiative meeting, also strongly discouraged "anyone from paying a ransomware demand," including private sector organizations and organizations responsible for critical infrastructure.

The intrigue: In some cases, the larger ransomware volumes are working to victims' advantage, Minder said.

• In a handful of cases, Minder said, he's seen some ransomware gangs target so many companies that they forget who they're extorting and never return to negotiations over a payment and never leak the data they stole.

Yes, but: Without some larger enforcement mechanism or incentive program, banning ransom payments across the private sector is never going to work, Minder said.

• "Even if you made this illegal, the ransom would still be made," he said. "They just would be largely swept under the rug, or underground. It wouldn't achieve your goal."