U.S. disrupts North Korean hackers that targeted hospitals

NEW YORK –

TheFBI Justice DepartmentRecent disruption of hacking activities thatSponsored by the North KoreanThe government that targeted U.S. hospitalsWith ransomware, eventually recovering half a Million Dollars in ransom payments, and cryptocurrency Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Tuesday.

MonacoIn a speech, she revealed more details about the attacks and encouraged ransomware victims to report their crimes to law enforcement. thatOfficials can conduct investigations and take appropriate action. thatThey can be of assistance victimRansom payments are often demanded by ransom-paying companies.

InIn this instance, Monaco said?, KansasHospital thatAfter being attacked by ransomware, a ransom was paid. The FBI was contacted and the payment was traced. ChinaThe assistance of -based money laundering operators North Korean hackersIn cashing out illicit proceeds. TheFBI was able recoup half a million dollars including all ransom payments from the hospital.

“If you report that attack, if you report the ransom demand and payment, if you work with the FBI, we can take action,” Monaco saidAt the International ConferenceOn Cyber SecurityHosting by Fordham University. “We can follow the money and get it back; we can help prevent the next attack, the next victim; and we can hold cybercriminals accountable.”

In 2021, U.S. officials had to deal with a series of ransomware attacks that were well-known. hackersLock up or encrypt your data victimData and demand for exorbitant sums of money to return it, including against a vital fuel pipeline East Coast. ThoughIt seems that the pace of these large-scale front-page attacks has slowed down for smaller targets such as hospitals– Continue to be affected.

FBI Director Christopher Wray saidAt the same conference thatA particular challenge is thatRansomware was once the domain of cybercriminals looking to extort money. Now, hostile governments are increasingly using ransomware.

“The other thing we’re seeing more and more of is ransomware actors doing more than just locking up the system,” Wray said. “They’re exfiltrating the information, they’re threatening to release your proprietary information.”

ThisA particular form of ransomware is known as “Maui,”Particularly targeted hospitalsPublic health agencies around the country.

Justice DepartmentOfficials claim that the attack on the KansasHospital, which they didn’t identify, was held in May2021 hackersThe files and servers of the medical center were encrypted TheHospital paid approximately $100,000 in BitcoinTo retrieve its data.

The department said thatThe payment will also be recovered from the Kansashospital, it also received back a payment in the form of a health care provider Colorado thatwas also affected by the same MauiRansomware variant