International corporations Investissement Québec and Hitachi Energy recently confirmed that they were victims of a ransomware attack in which employee data was stolen, TechCrunch details in a report.
The GoAnywhere file transfer tool, built by Fortra, formerly known as HelpSystems, was used in the attack.
Clop, a Russian-linked hacker outfit, carried out the hack. The organization has been adding new organizations to its dark web leak site, where it releases stolen files from businesses that refuse to pay the ransom.
Previously, this ransomware organization was infamous for disguising malware as ultrasound images and medical documents in order to target healthcare personnel.
According to TechCrunch, the number of victims of this attack is growing, with more companies expected to come forward in the coming days.
The Growing Threat of Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware attacks reached dangerous proportions in 2022, according to security firm DataProt, with an attack being logged every 11 seconds. As a result, the global cost has risen to $20 billion annually, indicating the severe impact on enterprises and individuals.
According to the same report, phishing emails are still the major cause of ransomware attacks, accounting for two-thirds of all attacks. These emails frequently fool unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links or downloading malicious attachments, allowing cybercriminals to take control of their systems.
GoAnywhere Targeted by Latest Attack
The GoAnywhere system, which can be hosted in the cloud or on a company's network, enables businesses to move huge amounts of data and other large files securely.
According to the TechCrunch report, dozens of firms were utilizing this software at the time of the attack. It is still being determined whether Fortra knows who has already been affected. The exact scope of the intrusion is unknown, and it is uncertain what data was stolen by the hackers.
Clop has already exposed less than half of the 130 companies it claims to have infiltrated via GoAnywhere, and it is unclear what data it acquired in its digital heist. When asked if their GoAnywhere systems were compromised, several firms recently added to Clop's leak site declined to answer.
The effects of the data breach on Investissement Québec and Hitachi Energy are still being evaluated, and how many records were compromised is unclear. Nonetheless, TechCrunch reports that Clop has posted examples of allegedly stolen data from Onex, including W-9 tax forms, payment orders, and employee data like names, gender, and email addresses.
A Look at the Targeted Companies
Investissement Québec is a financial company that assists Quebec businesses and investment initiatives. It oversees an investment portfolio worth over $2.3 billion.
Hitachi Energy, a division of Hitachi, Ltd., offers an extensive array of energy-related products and services, including power production and distribution systems, transportation systems, and storage solutions.
The ransomware attack is the most recent in a series of cyberattacks against global companies. The attack illustrates the growing danger of ransomware attacks and the necessity for enterprises to bolster their cyber security.
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