LockBit Ransomware(a.k.a. ABCD) is yet another ransomware group operating in the RaaS(Ransomware-as-a-Service) model, following the same architecture as other major threat groups, like REvil. This threat emerged in September 2019 and is still being improved by its creators. In June 2021, the LockBit group announced the release of LockBit 2.0, which included a new website hosted on the deep web, as well as a new feature to encrypt Windows domains using group policy.

Believed active since mid-2020, Conti is a big game hunter ransomware threat operated by a threat group identified as Wizard Spider and offer to affiliates as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) offering. Following the lead of other big game hunter ransomware groups, Conti adopted the double extortion tactic, also known as 'steal, encrypt and leak', in order to apply additional pressure on victims to pay their ransom demands and avoid sensitive or confidential data being exposed.

There’s a saying that nothing can be certain, except death and taxes; in today’s cyber threat landscape, we can add ransomware to that short list. One of the AT&T Managed Threat Detection and Response customers almost had an incident at the crossroads of taxes and ransomware, but thanks to the SentinelOne advanced EDR platform, the attack was quickly detected and stopped automatically.

Most discussions around cybersecurity understandably focus on information technology (IT). Assets like cloud services and data centers are typically what companies spend the most time and effort securing. Recently, though, operational technology (OT) has come under increasing scrutiny from leading security experts in both the private and public sectors. In June, for instance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a fact sheet about ransomware attacks on OT.

Ransomeware can be a company’s worst nightmare. It’s not simply “getting a virus” or “clicking on a malicious email.” It is a systematic plan created by hackers to take your private information. Once they have a foothold in your private data, they use their position to blackmail you into submitting a payment. Technology to prevent ransomware has gotten better but attackers have gotten smarter and more methodical.

Criminal gangs are constantly improving their ways of delivering malicious code to victims. The delivery of this code is fundamental in order to subsequently install payloads that maximize the effect of exploitation and allows them to move laterally, and install further crimeware to quickly reap profits such as crypto mining, ransomware, data exfiltration, or even more sophisticated payloads such as banking fraud web injects.

The AEC industry is very familiar with good risk management. Whether it is managing safety risk, financial risk, legal risk, or project risk, AEC firms are adept at identifying, prioritizing and mitigating risk. Today, the risk of ransomware seems high, with a steady stream of news stories about the latest company to fall victim to an attack. But is it high for everyone in every industry?