Ransomware is a form of malware which is installed on a victims device or devices with the main objective of seizing and/or locking away sensitive data. As the name suggests in order for a victim to regain access to their data and systems they need to pay a ransom. More often than not, the two options a victim is presented with when they succumb to a ransomware attack is to either rebuild their systems from scratch and potentially have the attacker leak the data online - or pay up.
As such, it’s unsurprising that, in our increasingly digital age with more and more data on the cloud, that the number of attacks and the success of ransomware attacks is on the rise. Approximately 58% of ransomware victims paid in 2020, compared to 39% in 2017.
Ransoms for these kinds of attacks range from a few hundred dollars to thousands or even millions of dollars payable in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. In return for the payout, the attackers will release a decryption key allowing the organization to return to business. Certain industries, such as government organizations and hospitals are more susceptible to ransomware attacks due to the nature of the work that they do often being time-sensitive. For example, a ransomware attack crippled a hospital in Germany, leading directly to one patient’s death.
There are numerous strategies that ransomware attackers employ to gain access to a victims database. One of the most common though is through social engineering tactics, such as phishing emails. Cybercriminals can make these emails look exactly like trustworthy emails from official sources, tricking victims into downloading compromised software onto their device.
Because of the nature of social engineering tactics, and the evolving cyber threat landscape no organization can ever be fully secure from malware threats. Below we outline 12 of the biggest ransomware attacks that occurred in 2020.
12 Ransomware Attacks that Happened in 2020
1. ISS World
Estimated cost: $74 million
In February of 2020 ISS world, a Denmark based company went down due to a ransomware attack. Thousands of employees were left without access to their systems and emails. This cost them an estimated $74 million which includes regaining control of the affected IT systems and re-launching critical business systems.
2. Cognizant
Estimated cost: $50 million
A ransomware attack on the organization Cognizant in April of 2020 is said to have cost the company over $50 million, potentially as much as $70 million, including legal and consultation costs and data recovery costs, along with the financial loss reflected in their second-quarter earning in 2020.
3. Sopra Steria
Estimated cost: $50 million
The company Sopra Steria revealed that they were hit by hackers using a new version of the Ryuk ransomware in October.
They estimate that the fallout, including dealing with the various systems that went out of action, is likely to have a gross negative impact on operating margin of between €40 million and €50 million.
4. Redcar and Cleveland Council
Estimated cost: $14 million
Redcar and Cleveland Council in the UK suffered an attack on their systems in February of 2020 costing the council an estimated $14 million. The ransomware attack is said to have disrupted the company’s network, tablets, computers, and mobile devices for 3 full weeks. The council announced that in March, that it could take months for a full recovery and estimated the overall costs to be between $14 - $21 million.
5. Software AG
Estimated cost: $20 million
Software AG is the second-largest software vendor in Germany. They were reportedly hit with the Clop ransomware in an attack in October of 2020. The company disclosed that the ransomware attack disrupted a part of its internal network but didn’t affect customer services. The cybercriminal group responsible demanded a $23 million ransom.
7. Travelex
Estimated cost: $2.3 million
It was reported that Travelex the money exchange firm was hit with a file-encrypting malware attack which shut down its internal networks, website and apps for several weeks. Reportedly Travelex paid a ransom of $2.3 million in BTC to the dark actors to regain access to their data and restore services.
8. University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
Estimated cost: $1.14 million
UCSF was targeted by a malware attack which encrypted servers used by the school of medicine impacting students in June of 2020. The ransomware was prevented from travelling to the core UCSF network and causing more damage. The authorities negotiated with the cybercriminals and UCSF ended up paying approximately $1.14 million in ransom of the $3 million demanded.
9. Shirbit Insurance
Estimated cost: $1million
After a cyberattack on the Israeli Insurance provider Shirbit in December of 2020 the attackers demanded roughly $1 million in Bitcoin. In order to pressure the company into paying they demanded immediate payment or an increase in the ransom cost, doubling after 24 hours. Additionally, to show they weren’t empty threats they dumped the first 300 records online, again threatening to dump additional records every 24 hours until they received payment.
10. Communications and Power industries
Estimated cost: $500,000
California-based Communications & Power Industries (CPI) makes components for military devices and equipment, like radar, missile seekers and electronic warfare technology. The company counts the U.S. Department of Defense and its advanced research unit DARPA as customers. Reportedly, CPI paid $500,000 to obtain the decryption key to unlock their servers and return services.
11. Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks
Estimated cost: $365,000
Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks is a law firm that specializes in law for those in the media and entertainment industry. Their clients consist of a range of A-list celebrities and, with such high profile individuals on the line, the stakes for them were extremely high. They were targeted and files encrypted by REvil ransomware. The firm agreed to pay an estimated $365,000, however, the attackers started demanding more afterwards and the company has since kept quiet on what it has or is willing to pay.
12. Tillamook County
Estimated cost: $300,000
Tillamook county in the US was attacked by cyber attackers in January. The attack interrupted their email network, phone systems and website. After exhausting alternative options, they estimated the costs to restore service would cost well over $1 million and take several years and opted instead to pay the $300,000 ransom.
Keeping your data and organization secure
Never click on suspicious links or any links attached in unsolicited emails.
Back up systems and data continuously. Create a separate data-backup in an external hard drive that is not connected to your computer, so that you don’t have to pay the ransom if a ransomware attack happens.
Never disclose personal information over the phone or over email.
Educate employees of cybersecurity best practices and social engineering tactics that may be used against them.
Limit employee access to sensitive data to reduce attack surfaces.
OSINT Tools and Mitigating Costly Ransomware Attacks
Early warning of data beaches through OSINT tools can help you predict and prevent cyber attacks as well as enable organizations to take mitigating actions faster. While open-source intelligence tools can’t prevent ransomware, they can help organizations reduce the risks and potential damages.
OSINT tools can be used by organizations to monitor their supply chains, allowing them to learn of potential disruptions in real-time and enabling them to implement contingency plans fast.
Additionally, organizations can use tools like Signal to monitor for ransomware and malware currently being used. This can help security teams determine emerging threats being used against other organizations in their industry to better inform ongoing cybersecurity best practices.
Ultimately, by using OSINT to monitor darknet forums and market places security professionals are able to learn about the newest strategies being employed, the most recent weaknesses being exploited, and the most current software being utilized. Armed with this knowledge they are much more able to develop effective countermeasures as well as actively prevent ransomware infection.