FBI says some ransomware groups try to fetch financial information as much as possible to target major companies.
The FBI says ransomware attacks could be triggered by companies while carrying out financial activities, such as stock valuation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said malicious actors are currently targeting state-owned companies, which could pose financial risks.
A stockbroker looks at his screens at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on September 16, 2008, as the DAX 30 blue chip fell more than 3% at 1:00 p.m. GMT, adding to a 2.74% drop the day before.
US investment Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection
“Ransomware actors target companies involved in important and urgent financial events to induce these victims to pay ransoms,” the FBI said in its latest document. The government agency also explained that it discovered a growing threat to companies during their financial disclosures or other similar announcements.
Apart from that, the FBI said quarterly earnings reports, along with mandatory SEC filings, MandA activities, and initial public offerings, could also trigger ransomware attacks.
FBI: Ransomware groups tying attacks to 'significant financial events' https://t.co/7IfHn6SXlA
— CyberThreatAlert (@ThreatAlerts) November 2, 2021
According to the latest Threat Post report, the FBI said that upcoming events such as announcements, mergers, and acquisitions could encourage ransomware gangs to conduct their malicious activities.
A participant checks a printed circuit board next to an oscilloscope on the first day of the 28th Chaos Communication Congress (28C3) Behind Enemy Lines computer hacker conference on December 27, 2011, in Berlin, Germany.
Ransomware attack
The Chaos Computer Club is Europe’s largest network de hacker, and its annual conference attracts up to 3,000 participants. On the other hand, the security agency said that online attackers could also tailor their ransomware attacks based on the performance of companies’ financial activities.
This is a serious issue right now as Microsoft, Google, and other tech companies announce their new partnerships to improve their services and products. Meanwhile, the latest FBI report says it does not encourage victims to pay ransoms to criminal actors.
According to the latest warning from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the threat of ransomware is still a major security concern around the world. Recently, we reported that some residents of Ukraine and Switzerland were involved in spreading ransomware in 71 countries.
On the other hand, various researchers have predicted that ransomware attacks against the e-commerce industry could increase by 314%.
Ransomware Operation Trends
Following is the list of rising trends when it comes to ransomware attacks, reported by Bank Info Security.
- Multi-company attacks.
- Ransomware attackers generally make less money.
- Malware leaks aren’t that bad.
- Stolen databases are more of a threat than people realize.
- Ransomware attackers typically rely on rebranding.
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