FBI warns of dual ransomware attacks, and other cybersecurity news to know this month
This news round-up brings you key cybersecurity stories from the past month.
Top cybersecurity news: FBI warns of dual ransomware threat; Companies struggle to overcome cyberskills gap; Actor Tom Hanks distances himself from AI deepfake advert.
1. US companies face dual ransomware attack risk, says FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning companies in the United States to be alert to the risk of dual ransomware attacks, in which the same organization is targeted more than once in quick succession.
The warning came in an FBI private industry notification dated 27 September 2023: “The FBI noted a trend of dual ransomware attacks conducted in close proximity to one another. During these attacks, cyber threat actors deployed two different ransomware variants.”
The FBI also pointed out that a range of ransomware tools are being used in different combinations – with potentially devastating consequences for targeted companies. “This use of dual ransomware variants resulted in a combination of data encryption, exfiltration, and financial losses from ransom payments. Second ransomware attacks against an already compromised system could significantly harm victim entities.”
In most cases, the second attack has come within 48 hours of the first, but the period between attacks has been as long as 10 days.
To mitigate the risks from dual ransomware attacks, the FBI recommends companies review their security posture, maintain offline back-ups of critical data and ensure those back-ups are encrypted.
2. Companies failing to close global cybersecurity skills gap
A report into employment challenges in the cybersecurity sector finds companies around the globe are failing to fill millions of vacant positions. The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), which has 170,000 members in 188 countries, has published its 2023 State of Cybersecurity global update.
Source: World Economic Forum