Keyword
ransomware
First five months of 2016 dominated by malicious email campaigns of unprecedented volume, new ransomware variants
July 26, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterThe first five months of 2016 were dominated by malicious email campaigns of unprecedented volume, with new ransomware variants emerging quickly and actors “repeatedly [shifting] tactics with new loaders, document attachment types and obfuscation techniques to evade detection,” according to…
2016 malware levels nearly four times 2015 totals, cybersecurity company finds
July 22, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterA security analyst team at AppRiver, a cloud-based cybersecurity company based in Gulf Breeze, Fl., has quarantined 4.2 billion emails containing malware in the second quarter of 2016, “pointing to a continued increase in malware traffic this year.” The emails…
University of Calgary case highlights criminal demands for computer ‘ransom’
June 10, 2016 Steve Lambert - THE CANADIAN PRESSRansomware attacks, such as one that recently saw the University of Calgary pay cyber criminals $20,000 to unlock its computer systems, are on the rise around the globe. Government and industry experts say at small businesses, at hospitals and even…
University of Calgary pays ransom after attack on computer systems
June 8, 2016 The Canadian PressCALGARY – The University of Calgary says it paid a ransom of $20,000 demanded after a recent cyberattack. The school says in a news release that staff were able to isolate some of the attack and are working to ensure…
Free tools to help ransomware victims retrieve files
June 2, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterTrend Micro International has announced the availability of free tools that the company reports will help users and organizations fight back against the dangers posed by ransomware. “The risks and impact of ransomware threats to end-users, small and medium-sized businesses,…
Cyber criminals are even filtering out specific countries when designing cyberattacks; Canada has low threat exposure rate: Sophos research
May 5, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterNetwork and endpoint security company Sophos Ltd. said that its research has revealed a growing trend among cyber criminals to target and even filter out specific countries when designing ransomware and other malicious cyberattacks. Research from SophosLabs, which includes information…
Researchers: Newer type of ransomware is harbinger of danger
April 13, 2016 Tami Abdollah - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWASHINGTON – An unusual strain of virus-like hacker software that exploits computer server vulnerabilities – without requiring human interaction – is a leading example of a new generation of “ransomware,” according to a new report by Cisco Systems Inc. Hackers…
Second U.S. hospital in as many months becomes victim of malware attack
March 31, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterJust over one month after the president and CEO of a hospital in Los Angeles admitted to paying about US$17,000 to hackers following a ransomware attack, another hospital in the United States has become victim of a malware attack. On…
Insurer launches ransomware solution following hefty increase in criminal-related cyber losses
March 23, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterChubb’s Global Cyber Risk Practice has launched a service to help policyholders with ransomware attacks in the wake of a 430% hike in the insurer’s criminal-related cyber losses over the past five years. “Chubb’s new cyber extortion solution can immediately…