What’s after these two great events? G7 leaders on their way to a party attended by Queen Elizabeth II on the afternoon of June 11. (Source: New York Times) Back to the top First, both show President Joe Biden’s effort to bring America “back”. A key message of the G7 Summit in Cornwall is “rebuilding the world for the better”. It’s not hard to see that this slogan was inspired by Joe Biden’s presidential campaign theme – “rebuilding America for the better”. But not only inspiring, Washington also plays a pioneering role in proposing and implementing initiatives at the G7 Summit. It is a commitment to contribute 500 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine Pfizer/bioNTech without any strings attached, the promise of patent suspension with the Covid-19 vaccine to lead the world through the pandemic. . In addition, the G7’s criticism of China’s “human rights violations” in Xinjiang was proposed by President Joe Biden during the second discussion session on June 12. The assessment of Beijing as a “rival” or a “systemic challenge” has appeared many times in Washington’s foreign policy documents over the past time. Allegations of trade fraud and China’s role in the Covid-19 pandemic have also been frequently mentioned under the administration of President Joe Biden. Similar is the story with Russia. Building a “stable and predictable” relationship with Russia is what Joe Biden mentioned in the article above. The Washington Post June 5, before the trip to Europe. The G7 urges Russia to verify, prevent and handle individuals and organizations conducting cyberattacks can be seen as a US call to find the perpetrators behind the cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline oil pipeline. country in early May. The content on efforts to combat climate change, promote gender equality and human rights also reflects the more comprehensive interest of the US under Joe Biden than his predecessor. Therefore, the appearance of these contents in the joint statement of G7 and NATO can be considered as a clear proof of the return of the US in the international arena. US President Joe Biden at a press conference after the G7 Summit in Cornwall, England on June 13. (Source: AP) More importantly, Washington is well aware of the importance of multilateralism in realizing its vision in an increasingly volatile world. Joe Biden’s approach is clearly different from his predecessor Donald Trump when he actively builds relationships with partners and allies from Asia to Europe, taking advantage of the network of relationships to implement policy. . Not so, the leaders of these countries are full of praise for the White House boss. The host country’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Biden “a breath of fresh air”, German Chancellor Angela Merkel saw him as the embodiment of multilateralism, and French President Emmanuel Macron chatted on the shores of the Gulf of Carbis. with his American counterpart in English, repeatedly emphasizing “America is back!”. On the sidelines of the NATO Summit, despite the divergent stance on Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 missile system and the US recognition of the so-called “Armenian genocide”, President Tayyip Erdogan still evaluated the meeting with his counterpart. US level Joe Biden is “sincere and effective”. “There is no problem that cannot be solved in Turkish-American relations,” he stressed. Russia-China shadow Another highlight of this year’s G7 and NATO summits lies in the dense presence of Russia and China in discussions and joint statements, although these two countries are not represented. There is much talk in the international media about China being seen by NATO as a “systemic challenge”. G7 leaders also expressed concern about Beijing’s trade policies, the situation in the East Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, even the “Green Network” infrastructure plan worth 40,000 billion VND. USD to counterbalance China’s Belt and Road Initiative. However, both NATO and the G7 are optimistic about the prospect of cooperation with China in areas of mutual interest such as combating climate change and improving biodiversity. Words about Beijing’s behavior are also used with caution, avoiding excessive provocation. More importantly, Russia, not China, is the country most mentioned in the final text. “China” appears 4 and 10 times in the two joint statements of G7 and NATO, respectively, while this number of “Russia” is 7 and 61 times, respectively. The wording used to refer to Russia is also much harsher than that of China. The G7 demanded that Moscow stop its “sabotage and destabilization… interference in the democratic process” or cyberattacks, and promote the peace process in Eastern Ukraine as a party to the conflict. Meanwhile, NATO’s joint statement on June 14 went further, accusing Russia of “destructive and illegal” acts in the territory of member states, making statements about weapons. nuclear “aggressively and irresponsibly” or “fuel the fire” in the East Ukraine conflict. The highlight of the NATO Summit also lies in the dense presence of Russia and China in discussions and joint statements. (Source: Wikipedia) The divisions The final highlight is the deepening division between the UK and the European Union (EU). During the G7 discussion session on June 12, the differences between the UK and Europe on how to approach China were more or less revealed. Accordingly, President Joe Biden called on the bloc to criticize and respond to China’s policies in Xinjiang. While British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron responded to this proposal, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and EU leaders emphasized the prospect of cooperation in a number of fields with China. Disagreements between the parties were so sensitive that the Internet connection to the meeting room was cut off to secure information. Differences in interests between the UK and Europe once again “exploded” during the meeting between Prime Minister Boris Johnson with his German counterpart Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. The Elysee power owner angered the host leader by declaring Northern Ireland is not part of Britain and that Franco-British relations will only “reboot” if the British approve the EU request. Chancellor Angela Merkel did not even react to Mr Johnson’s elbow salute. Russia, not China, is the country most mentioned in the final text. “China” appears 4 and 10 times in the two joint statements of G& and NATO, respectively, while this number of “Russia” is 7 and 61 times, respectively. European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU had “absolutely agreed” on Brexit and that the parties needed to abide by what was agreed. At the moment, there is no sign that the UK-EU split will be resolved anytime soon. Finally, it can be seen that the G7 Summit and NATO Summit have shown clear views on a number of hot issues such as relations with Russia and China, finding solutions for global economic growth and challenges. non-traditional security with ambitious commitments. However, how to implement these commitments, how to realize the vision of “rebuilding the world for the better”, will not be an easy task for G7 members and NATO.

The move comes after the attack on the US oil and gas shipping company Colonial Pipeline and the growing damage caused by cybercriminals. The US raised the level of investigation into the crime of extortion hackers to the level of ‘terrorists’. Photo: REUTERS In an internal guideline document sent to law offices across the United States on June 3, the US Department of Justice directed that investigations into ransomware should be coordinated with the central government, specifically: A new task force was established in Washington. “This will be a specialized process to ensure we can track all cases of extortion hackers regardless of where they happen in the US, so we can capture the connection between subjects and proceed to break the whole link,” said Deputy Attorney General John Carlin. Previously, in May, the largest US oil pipeline system, the Colonial Pipeline, was crippled by hackers. Colonial Pipeline has decided to pay hackers who have compromised their systems nearly $5 million to regain access. According to the Reuters , the DOJ’s guidance document specifically mentions the Colonial attack as an example of “the growing threat posed by cybercriminals and digital ransomware to the nation.” . “To ensure we can uncover connections between incidents and investigations across the country and globally, and to paint a big picture of national security and economic threats, The economy we face, we must strengthen and focus our internal monitoring,” the guidance document states. Reuters Citing US officials, the decision to include ransomware attacks in a special process by the Department of Justice shows that the issue is being prioritized. “We’ve used this model in the past for counterterrorism, but never with ransomware,” said Carlin, adding that the process typically applies to cases involving direct national security. In practice, this means that investigators at US attorneys’ offices dealing with ransomware cases will have to share both up-to-date case details and technical information with officials in Washington. The guidelines also require offices to review and report other investigations related to the large-scale cybercrime ecology. According to the guidelines, the list of investigations currently required to be reported to the central government includes: anti-virus services, illegal online forums or marketplaces, cryptocurrency exchanges, cybercriminal server services, botnets, and online money laundering services. “We would like to emphasize that prosecutors and criminal investigators need to report and conduct monitoring of cryptocurrency exchanges, illegal online forums or marketplaces for trading hacking tools. , as well as tracking botnets that serve a variety of purposes,” said Carlin. According to Mark Califano, a former US attorney and cybercrime expert, raising the level of investigation could allow the US Justice Department to “deploy resources more effectively” and “identify common exploits” variables” used by cybercriminals.

In a statement on May 31, JBS USA said it detected an organized cyberattack that affected several servers that support the corporation’s information technology systems at its North American facilities. and Australia. JBS is the world’s largest meat processing company, with operations in many countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand and the UK. The company said no customer, supplier or employee data was leaked or used for shady purposes following the cyberattack. However, the company said it will take a long time to resolve this issue and as a result, some transactions with customers and suppliers may be disrupted. All US beef processing plants under JBS have stopped production, affecting nearly a quarter of the total supply in the US market. The company’s other meat processing plants were also disrupted to a certain extent. Photo: Visual China Although the company has not publicly stated that it is threatened by ransomware, the White House said the attack was ransomware, possibly from a group based in Russia, although JBS has not made it public. confirm this. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told Reuters the FBI was investigating. Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a target’s system, preventing users from accessing and using their computer system or document files (mainly detected on Windows operating systems). In some cases, hackers also gain access to the target’s data and demand a ransom if they want to get the data back. Since November last year, a series of ransomware attacks have targeted well-known companies such as the US factory Foxconn, Apple’s Macbook Quanta laptop assembly partner, and the Colonel Pipeline pipeline company. Among them, Quanta has stolen a large number of drawings of the new MacBook, which has a certain effect on Apple. The hacker group asked Apple to pay a ransom of $ 50 million to not publicly publish the data they have, Apple flatly refused. Leading US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline has shut down its entire network following a ransomware-related cyberattack. According to CNBC, the company Colonial paid $4.4 million in ransom in the form of Bitcoin cryptocurrency to the DarkSide hacker group. For these companies, there are two issues that need to be considered: First, why the security team can’t resist hacker attacks; second, what role does cryptocurrencies play in these transactions? The “fragility” of businesses before a cyber attack When you hear the word “cybersecurity,” you probably think of large companies or government organizations that invest tens of millions of dollars in firewalls, anti-virus software, and other security protocols to protect their systems from potentially malicious attacks or data leaks. Or you would think of the large internal cybersecurity teams who are knowledgeable and know how to deploy the latest technology to fight hackers and protect corporate information. The reality is that security issues affect every company – from the smallest store, fledgling startups to the largest multinationals. Any system is not immune to loopholes, and hackers who have the guts to attack large businesses are organized and premeditated. The security team of a large enterprise cannot avoid negligence, giving hackers the opportunity to take advantage. Hackers take advantage of cryptocurrency to make blackmail transactions Photo: QQ After successful attacks, many hacker groups now demand ransom in the form of cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoin instead of real money. All transactions are assigned to Bitcoin addresses, but this address is not assigned to a specific person or organization. To increase anonymity, each transaction you can use a Bitcoin address to send and receive money, no one can know who you are. So Bitcoin is definitely the best choice when it comes to making illegal transactions. As the most valuable cryptocurrency today, Bitcoin has become a favorite object of hackers. The market value of cryptocurrencies skyrocketed around October of last year. Since mid-May of this year, this market price has been continuously falling, but it seems that the cryptocurrency still has a chance to explode again. In 2017, a type of malicious code called WannaCry opened a huge cyber attack in 150 countries, causing many users’ files to be locked. If they want the right to unlock, the victim has to pay the hackers 300 USD worth of Bitcoin. In 2019, hackers attacked the city of Baltimore (Maryland state, USA), froze thousands of computers, turned off emails … and demanded the city pay about 100,000 USD in Bitcoin. Ransomware attacks will get stronger and stronger Photo: QQ According to Ekram Ahmed, a spokesman for cybersecurity firm Check Point: “Hackers are pursuing larger and more advanced targets because they know they can succeed. Networks like Colonial paid $4.4 million in ransom, ransomware monetization will attract many new entrants. Things are getting worse, and I firmly believe that ransomware is now a national security threat.” . The consecutive attacks signal a worrying trend in ransomware attacks, especially those that can cause major disruption. Ransomware attacks are becoming more and more common, although hackers often find smaller and more vulnerable targets, less network security, and will pay a ransom to keep their systems normal. usually return as quickly as possible. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have made it much easier for hackers to obtain ransoms. “Ransomware is now a lucrative business for hackers. Since the beginning of 2020, the number of organizations affected by ransomware has increased by 120%.” According to a recent report by cybersecurity firm Sophos, the average cost of recovering from a ransomware attack also appears to have doubled. Software company Chainalysis determined that $350 million was spent on ransomware ransoms in 2020. But it can be difficult to know the full scale of the attacks and the amount of ransom paid, because many the company did not report them in the first place. CNA Financial Corporation, one of the largest insurance companies in the US, paid $40 million in ransom last March, which was revealed only two months later. Law enforcement agencies advise businesses hit by ransomware not to pay the ransom, and say it will encourage hackers to continue demanding increasingly high amounts. However, not every company has the technological capabilities to deal with a group of hackers as sophisticated as Apple.

Hacker attack at the world’s largest meat processing plant. It is not clear which hacker group staged the attack, and there is no information on when the affected facilities in Ottumwa, Iowa will reopen; Worthington, Minnesota; Cactus, Texas; Greeley, Colorado; Brooks, Alberta; and across Australia. In a press release, JBS USA called the attack an “organized cyber security attack” and said they targeted servers that support information technology systems in North America and Australia. “The company’s backup servers are not affected, and an Incident Response company is working to restore the system as soon as possible. At this time, the company does not have any evidence to suggest that the system is restored. data of customers, suppliers or employees has been stolen or used for malicious purposes,” – JBS in the US released a statement. JBS said it has suspended all network systems infected with malicious code and notified the authorities. “Troubleshooting will take time. This may delay certain transactions with customers and suppliers. JBS is responsible for about 25% of total meat processing in the US and about 20% of total meat processing in Australia. In Australia alone, the company has 47 facilities and about 11,000 employees. The AP quoted an Australian government official as saying it could take several days before production resumed in the country. If JBS continues to have to stop working, the price of meat in the US may increase and the output of exported meat may decrease. The incident drew the White House into action. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said JBS had provided the White House with detailed information about the hack. Accordingly, the US will contact the Russian government on this matter, while the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigates the case. “The White House has offered to support JBS. The US Department of Agriculture has been in discussions with the company’s leadership several times over the past day,” a White House spokesman said. “JBS has informed the authorities that the ransom request may have been sent by a criminal organization based in Russia. The White House is working directly with the Russian government on this matter, taking the view that countries have a responsibility not to harbor criminals using ransomware,” added Jean-Pierre. Cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure appear to be on the rise. In May, a group of ransomware took down the Colonial Pipeline and caused a wave of fuel shortages in many parts of the US. This is one of the largest ransomware attacks to date, and it forced US officials to impose new guidelines that require pipeline owners to notify federal authorities if they become the victim of an attack. ransomware attack.

JBS USA, the US arm of the world’s largest meat supplier JBS, was targeted in a cyber attack last weekend. Photo: AP “Discussed about the cyberattack on JBS meat processing group took place yesterday through the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Washington. As far as we know, the US authorities are also involved directly with the Russian government on this issue,” Deputy Minister Ryabkov said. The White House announced on June 1 that the United States was in contact with Russian officials, because the ransomware attack “potentially stemmed from a criminal organization based in Russia”. In a statement on May 31, JBS USA said it detected an organized cyberattack that affected several servers that support the corporation’s information technology systems at its North American facilities. and Australia. The headquarters of meat processing group JBS in Brazil has shut down the systems affected in the attack and notified the authorities. The company also convened a team of its own and third-party information technology experts to coordinate handling the case. JBS Group said it will take a long time to resolve this issue, and as a result some transactions with customers and suppliers may be disrupted. Meanwhile, JBS facilities in Australia were also affected following the attack, forcing about 10,000 workers to take unpaid leave. Australian Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said authorities were aware of the incident. The White House said on Monday that JBS had notified the US government that it was a ransomware attack by a criminal organization possibly based in Russia. JBS is the world’s largest meat processing company, with operations scattered in many countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and the UK. Previously, in early May, Colonial Pipeline – the largest oil pipeline operator in the US was also attacked by ransomware and forced to close some systems. Colonial Pipeline has publicly confirmed paying a ransom of up to $ 4.4 million to be able to restore the computer network. Meanwhile, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified DarkSide as the hacker group behind the attack.

“This group leaves cash in specific places – behind a bush or under a bus seat – for criminals to get. They send specific location instructions. This is a whole new profession.” Financial Times quoted Dr. Tom Robinson, founder of Elliptic organization specializing in analyzing cryptocurrency transactions. The dark web site Hydra (Russian) offers a variety of methods for criminals to exchange cryptocurrency for cash, for example exchanging Bitcoins for gift certificates, debit cards or iTunes vouchers. Special software is required to access the Hydra dark web. Photo: ZDNet. Anonymous but still leaving traces According to experts, the ability to store cryptocurrency without providing an identity makes this currency especially attractive to many criminal gangs, especially hackers specializing in breaking into networks of businesses. and demand ransom. Statistics from research firm Chainalysis show that in 2020, businesses and organizations paid at least $350 million in cryptocurrency ransoms to a number of hacker groups, including DarkSide, the group that attacked the pipeline system. Colonial Pipeline earlier this month. But while anonymous, cryptocurrency transactions are recorded on an immutable blockchain system, leaving a clear trail for anyone with any knowledge of the technology. A number of investigative firms have been established to assist national authorities in tracking various criminal gangs by analyzing the flow of cryptocurrency transactions. Chainalysis (headquartered in New York, USA) is one such company. Binance cryptocurrency exchange. In 2011-2019, cryptocurrency exchanges supported the conversion to cash of about 60-80% of Bitcoin transactions by criminal groups. Photo: Binance. Chainalysis raised $100 million in its initial public offering, reaching a valuation of over $2 billion. There are also Elliptic (headquartered in London, UK) and CipherTrace, a company supported by the US government. Chainalysis said that in 2020, some illegal organizations receive about 5 billion USD and transfer 5 billion USD to other organizations. This represents almost 1% of all global crypto flows. Initially, the criminals only withdrew funds through major cryptocurrency exchanges. Elliptic estimates that between 2011 and 2019, cryptocurrency exchanges supported the conversion of about 60-80% of Bitcoin transactions by illegal organizations into cash. Take advantage of crypto ATMs Since last year, exchanges have been concerned about the tightening of regulations by many governments, so they have begun to apply anti-money laundering (AML) and customer identity verification (KYC) processes. This change pushes criminals to unlicensed exchanges. Still, expert Michael Phillips of online insurance company Resilience said that unlicensed exchanges have low liquidity, making it difficult for criminals to convert crypto to fiat. “The goal is to make it more expensive for criminals to convert money,” he explained. However, criminals still have a way around. Research by Chainalysis shows that some intermediaries are quietly assisting gangs in conducting many illegal money conversion transactions. Meanwhile, small-scale transactions still flow through more than 11,600 crypto ATMs worldwide without any control, or through gambling sites that accept crypto payments. Criminals can use crypto ATMs to get cash. Photo: EPA. Faced with that situation, crypto security companies use the technology of analyzing blockchain transactions and intelligence to determine which crypto wallets belong to criminal gangs. At the same time, they provide an overview of the global crypto crime ecosystem. As a result, companies discovered that many hacker groups lease ransomware to criminal networks. Kimberly Grauer, director of research at Chainalysis, said hackers also pay support services to other criminal groups in cryptocurrency. Thus, a criminal cryptocurrency ecosystem has been formed on a global scale. “We were able to see the ransom transactions, how the gangs split the money and how that money went to groups in the system,” Grauer said. The tricks are getting more and more sophisticated However, cybercriminals are increasingly using a variety of high-tech tools to obscure the traces of cryptocurrency transactions. Some criminals use “chain-hopping” – repeatedly switching between different cryptocurrencies – to avoid the eyes of security companies. In addition, they use a “privacy cryptocurrency” like Monero, which has a high degree of anonymity. Another tool commonly used by criminals is a “mixer,” a third-party service that mixes illegal cryptocurrencies with clean money, before pushing them back onto the market. In April, the US Department of Justice arrested a Swedish citizen of Russian origin, who specialized in operating a “mixing” service called Bitcoin Fog. During the past 10 years, this guy has transferred a total of 335 million USD in Bitcoin. Governments need to modernize confiscation and asset freezing processes to make it easier to confiscate cryptocurrencies from exchanges. Tom Kellerman, director of cybersecurity strategy at VMware V “It is possible to untangle mixed cryptocurrencies. However, that requires high technology and a lot of processing and data power,” said Katherine Kirkpatrick, director of law firm King & Spalding. According to Elliptic, the popular 2020 coin mixers are highly anonymous “personal wallets”. They supported 12% of Bitcoin wash transactions last year. Tom Kellerman, director of cybersecurity strategy at VMware and a member of the US Secret Service’s advisory board, said that governments need to modernize the process of confiscating and freezing assets for law enforcement. easily confiscate cryptocurrencies from exchanges. In the past, blockchain security experts have floated the idea of ​​sharing a “blacklist” of crypto wallets used by criminals with exchanges, analytics firms, and governments. “Now is the right time to consider that initiative.” he Kemba Walden of Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit.

Also according to Microsoft, Nobelium is the “Russian guy” and is also the person behind the attack targeting SolarWinds customers in 2020. The organization behind the SolarWinds cyberattack discovered last year is currently targeting government agencies, research institutions, think tanks and NGOs. The comments come weeks after a May 7 ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline that shut down the largest US fuel pipeline network for several days, disrupt the national supply, On May 27, Microsoft announced that: “This wave of attacks targeted approximately 3,000 email accounts at more than 150 different organizations.” Microsoft said that US organizations are the most vulnerable to attacks, targeted victims come from at least 24 different countries. According to Microsoft, at least a quarter of the organizations targeted are engaged in international development, humanitarian and human rights issues. This week, Nobelium launched attacks by breaking into a marketing email account of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), thereby launching phishing attacks to multiple organizations. other. In statements issued Friday, the US Department of Homeland Security and USAID both said they have received and are in the process of investigating the above attack. The attack on information technology company SolarWinds, identified in December, accessed the information of thousands of companies and government offices using its products. Microsoft President Brad Smith described the attack as “the largest and most sophisticated attack the world has ever seen”. The attacks announced Thursday appear to be a continuation of multiple attempts to target government agencies involved in foreign policy, as part of an intelligence-gathering effort, Microsoft said. Intelligence. The company is currently in the process of notifying all of its target customers and has “no reason to believe” that these attacks are related to any exploits or vulnerabilities in the system. Microsoft products or services. Le Duyen (According to Reuters)

Colonial Pipeline Company’s fuel tanks in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. (Photo: AFP/VNA) US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on May 27 issued new security guidance for owners and operators of fuel pipelines. This move follows a cyber attack on the company’s fuel pipeline system Colonial Pipeline , leading to gas supply disruptions on the US East Coast this month. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: “The recent malware attack on a major fuel pipeline shows that the cybersecurity of pipeline systems is a critical factor. pivotal to the homeland security of the United States.” Under DHS, owners and operators of fuel pipeline Key players will be required to immediately report confirmed and probable cyber-attacks to the Department of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security under their respective jurisdictions. DHS (CISA), and appoint a cybersecurity coordinator available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The issuance of the new guidance also requires fuel pipeline owners and operators to review current cybersecurity measures to detect any vulnerabilities, as well as remedial actions if necessary. there is a risk of a cyber attack. They must notify this result to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a unit of DHA, and CISA within 30 days. The DHS statement said TSA is considering additional mandatory measures to enhance cybersecurity to protect the US fuel system. Previously, on May 7, Colonial Pipeline announced that it was attacked by ransomware and forced to close some systems. This incident caused a large-scale supply disruption, causing thousands of gas stations on the US East Coast to fall into shortages and gasoline prices to the highest level since 2017. The US government has issued an order. state of emergency in 17 states and Washington, D.C. After more than 1 week of being affected, the Colonial Pipeline oil pipeline has returned to normal operation. Colonial Pipeline has publicly confirmed paying a ransom to restore computer networks. Meanwhile, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified DarkSide as the hacker group behind the attack.

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim’s data. Cybercriminals using ransomware also often steal data. The hackers then demanded a payment to unlock the files and promised not to leak the stolen data. In recent years, hackers have targeted victims with cyber insurance policies, and large volumes of sensitive consumer data make them more likely to pay ransoms, according to cybersecurity experts. According to the unnamed source, CNA paid the hackers about two weeks after a bunch of company data was stolen and CNA officials were locked out of its own network. CNA does not comment on the ransom, with a CNA spokesperson saying CNA followed all laws, regulations and guidelines, including OFAC’s 2020 ransomware guide, in handling the matter. CAN also shares attack intelligence and hackers’ identities with the FBI and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control because facilitating ransom payments to hackers can cause punishment risk. The largest ransom amount Ransomware attacks – and payments in particular – are rarely disclosed so it’s difficult to know what the largest ransom is. The $40 million payout is larger than any previously disclosed payments to hackers. The hackers attacking CNA used malware called Phoenix Locker, a variant of ransomware called ‘Hades.’ According to cybersecurity experts, Hades was created by a Russian cybercrime organization called Evil Corp. Evil Corp. was sanctioned by the United States in 2019. However, identifying attacks can be difficult because hacking groups can share code or sell malware to each other. CNA, which provides cyber insurance, said its investigation concluded that the Phoenix hacker group was not on the US sanctions list. The disclosure of the payment is likely to draw outrage from lawmakers and regulators who are unhappy that US companies are paying large sums of money to criminal hackers who over the past year have targeted hospitals, drug manufacturers, police forces and other entities critical to public safety. The FBI discourages organizations from paying ransoms because it encourages additional attacks and does not guarantee data will be returned. Last year was a standout year for ransomware groups, with a task force made up of security experts and law enforcement agencies estimating that victims paid around $350 million in ransom last year, up 311% compared to 2019. The Task Force suggested 48 actions the Biden administration and the private sector could take to mitigate such attacks, including better regulation of money markets. digital currency used to make ransom payments. The report, prepared by the Institute for Security and Technology, was delivered to the White House days before the Colonial Pipeline Company was compromised in a ransomware attack that resulted in fuel shortages and long lines at stores. gas stations along the US East Coast Bloomberg reported that Colonial paid hackers nearly $5 million shortly after the attack. Colonial CEO Joseph Blount, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Wednesday, confirmed that the company paid the hackers – $4.4 million in ransom. According to two people familiar with the CNA attack, the company initially ignored the hacker’s request and attempted to recover the data without negotiating with the criminals. But within a week, the company decided to start negotiating with the hackers, who were demanding $60 million. Residents said the payment was made a week later. According to Barry Hensley, chief intelligence officer at cybersecurity firm Secureworks Corp. then the Phoenix Locker seems to be a variation of Hades based on the overlap of the code used in each. He said they have not yet identified which hackers used the Hades variant to attack CNA. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc believes Hades was created by Evil Corp. to bypass US sanctions against the hacking group. In December 2019, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against 17 individuals and six entities associated with Evil Corp. At the time, the Treasury Department said Evil Corp used malware “to infect computers and collect login information from hundreds of banks and financial institutions in more than 40 countries, causing more than 100 million dollars of theft. “It is illegal for any U.S. company to knowingly pay a ransom to Evil Corp. According to Melissa Hathaway, President of Hathaway Global Strategies and a former cybersecurity adviser to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, demand for ransomware has grown exponentially over the past six months. Hathaway said the average hacker’s ransom demand is between $50 million and $70 million. Those claims are often negotiable, and companies often pay ransoms in the tens of millions of dollars, in part because cyber insurance policies cover some or all of the costs. Hathaway estimates that the average payout is between $10 and $15 million. Ngoc Linh – According to Insurance Journal

First, US President Biden announced $20 billion in funding to modernize the energy system and address digital security breaches. Other international and regional companies around the world also come up with their own strategies to mitigate this threat. Saudi Arabia’s oil giant Aramco, Siemens Energy and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have announced they will be releasing a joint report on cyber resilience in the oil and gas industry. The report will establish a blueprint for assessing how best to manage the various risks and threats associated with cyberattacks. The report brings together the experiences of 40 energy experts, who will provide their experience and expertise to outline some of the key cyber threats facing the industry and how best to mitigate those. this threat to improve energy security worldwide. The report comes after years of the oil and gas industry suffering from digital security breaches not only in the United States, which saw the Colonial Pipeline attack this month and a hack in February 2020 for a compressed air facility that caused a two-day power outage. Other oil and gas facilities around the world have also suffered similar losses. In 2012, Saudi Arabia experienced a cyber attack that resulted in more than 30,000 computers being hacked. In addition to this report, Siemens also announced a partnership with US software company ServiceNow to establish a unified software to monitor, detect, and respond to cyberthreats targeting power infrastructure. important amount. Siemens Energy’s artificial intelligence (AI)-based software combined with ServiceNow’s Operations Technology Management system exposes cyber threats for analysts to assess and prioritize early response. Leo Simonovich, Vice President and Global Head of Industrial Networks at Siemens Energy said of the report: “Digitalization is empowering the oil and gas sector to be more efficient, flexible and reliable – but it also opens up many new vulnerabilities for cyberattacks. More than ever, cybersecurity must be at the core of companies’ business and operating models, especially in the oil and gas industry. Effective defenses depend on robust monitoring and detection – which means companies cannot act alone. Coordination and alignment are very important; This latest book, based on insights from leaders in the oil and gas sector, reflects these efforts. ” “Most energy companies grapple with complex technological and economic challenges associated with monitoring, detecting, and preventing cyberattacks on critical infrastructure,” emphasized Leo Simonovich. important. Our MDR, powered by the Eos.ii solution, is the first AI-based platform built to provide visibility and context across the energy industry’s entire digital operating environment. to promptly prevent attacks”. This is one of the ways the oil and gas industry is using AI and other innovative technologies to improve security and monitoring and evaluation operations across multiple sectors. As the United States ramps up its game in cybersecurity, the rest of the world has taken note of this recent attack and is responding at the international level to ensure that energy security is not compromised. development is synchronized with the digitization of the energy system. Establishing and regulating cybersecurity practices across the industry enhances the collective recovery efforts of oil and gas companies, presenting a united front against cybercrime and security threats other importance.

Illustration. https://tinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn According to GasBuddy, about 30% of all retail gas stations in North Carolina, South Carolina and George are out of gas. Virginia and Tennessee are also experiencing significant blackouts. Colonial Pipeline’s main pipeline transporting gasoline and diesel to the US East Coast has been shut down, following a ransomware attack earlier this month. More than a thousand fuel stations in the Southeast have run out of petrol and diesel due to panic buying and pipeline closures. Even people in Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, are flocking to gas stations to fill up with fuel, when news of gas stations running out of fuel. Colonial Pipeline paid almost $5 million in ransom in the form of a cryptocurrency to the hackers. But 2 weeks after shutting down, some gas stations are still shutting down. In Georgia, according to AAA data, the average price of a gallon of regular retail gasoline was $2,944 as of May 20, up from $2,708 a month before the pipeline failure. In North Carolina, the average price for gasoline is $2,929 per gallon, compared with $2,627 a month ago. According to Reuters, U.S. gasoline consumption is nearing pre-pandemic levels and is now down just 4% in the four weeks since May 14 from the five-year pre-pandemic average. https://tinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn

This hacker organization has received ransom from many victims. This shows that data ransom attacks have become a lucrative business for cybercriminals. Bitcoin is increasingly preferred by criminal organizations Earlier this month, Colonial Pipeline suffered a severe attack that forced the company to shut down nearly all of its fuel system supplying the southeastern states of the United States. The FBI confirmed the crime was DarkSide, a cybercrime organization believed to be located in Eastern Europe. Last week, it was reported that Colonial had agreed to pay $ 5 million to DarkSide (in bitcoin) for the data recovery password. Recently, the CEO of the company confirmed this information. DarkSide operates like a business. This group develops malicious code to crack and steal the target’s data, then trains partners, the partners continue to train the hackers. When hackers use this malicious code to carry out successful missions, DarkSide will receive a percentage of those successful attacks. In March 2021, when it announced a new software that can crack data faster than before, DarkSide even released a press release and invited reporters to interview. Hackers often demand ransom in virtual currency. London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has identified a bitcoin wallet that DarkSide uses to receive ransoms from victims. On May 14, London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said it had identified a bitcoin wallet used by DarkSide to collect ransoms from victims. That same day, Intel 471 security researchers said DarkSide closed after losing access to its servers and when the organization’s virtual currency wallets were empty. According to Elliptic, DarkSide and other affiliates of this organization have collected at least $90 million in bitcoin ransoms, and they receive funds through 47 different digital wallets. “To our knowledge, this analysis includes all payments to DarkSide,” said Tom Robinson, Elliptic co-founder and chief scientist. However, there may be other undetected transactions, so this $90 million figure should be considered the lowest limit.” Also according to Elliptic’s research, DarkSide’s bitcoin wallet was holding $5.3 million in cryptocurrency before it was all withdrawn last week. There are some rumors that these bitcoins have been seized by the US government. Of the $90 million ransom, $15.5 million went to the developers of DarkSide and $74.7 million to affiliates. Much of that is being sent to cryptocurrency exchanges and thereby converted into fiat. Bitcoin is increasingly preferred by criminal organizations as crypto traders do not reveal their identities. However, because the digital ledger that underpins bitcoin is public, researchers can keep track of where these funds are going.

The US has opened an investigation into this cyber attack. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to lock down a system by encrypting data and demanding a ransom from the victim to regain access. Colonial Pipeline asked a cybersecurity company to coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies to investigate this cyberattack. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident. The White House said Washington will work to help the Colonial Pipeline resume the interrupted fuel supply. This is considered the largest cyber attack on the US energy system Colonial Pipeline is providing nearly half of the fuel for the US east coast. This is considered one of the largest ransomware attacks ever recorded against US energy infrastructure. The shutdown of the largest fuel pipeline network in the United States will cause the price of this item and related products to spike. Colonial Pipeline transports 2.5 million barrels of gasoline and other fuels per day through 8,850 kilometers of pipeline connecting Gulf Coast refineries to the eastern and southern United States. The company also supplies fuel to several major US airports, including Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta, which has the world’s largest passenger traffic.

A Colonia Pipeline fuel station. Photo: Getty Images The US Department of Transportation’s guidance notice emphasizes that this decision is in response to emergency conditions, stemming from the need for immediate transportation of fuel items, to relieve problems related to supply scarcity. Colonial Pipeline on May 9 also said that many of the company’s main operating pipelines are still closed, but some small lines connecting the supply station and distribution point have returned to normal operation. On May 7, Colonial Pipeline was hacked with ransomware, a type of code that locks systems by encrypting data and demands a ransom to restore access. The attack caused Colonia Pipeline to shut down the entire pipeline network. Colonial Pipeline transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products from the Gulf of Texas to the densely populated East Coast of the United States through an 8,850-kilometer pipeline, serving 50 million customers. In areas affected by supply disruptions, fuel demand increased by 4% on May 8, prices also increased by more than 4.2%. The attack caused concern among US consumers about the scarcity of gasoline supplies if the problem is not fixed in time.

Colonial Pipeline transports 2.5 million barrels of fuel per day. Photo: Colonial Pipeline According to the BBC, the state of emergency allows fuel to be transported by road. The news agency quoted experts as saying that fuel prices could increase by 2-3% on May 10, but the real impact would be much worse if this situation continued for longer. Many sources confirm that the malicious code attack is caused by a cybercriminal gang called DarkSide, which infiltrated Colonial’s system on May 6 and stole nearly 100GB of data as a “hostage”. After taking over the data, the group of hackers locked this data on some computers and servers, demanded a ransom and warned that if they did not receive the money, they would release the data on the internet. Colonial is working with law enforcement, cybersecurity and the US Department of Energy to restore service. On the evening of May 9, the company announced that although the four main pipelines continued to stop, some smaller lines between the terminals and delivery points were still operating. “Immediately after learning of the attack, Colonial proactively shut down certain systems to stop the threat. These actions temporarily halted all pipeline operations and affected some systems. our information technology system, which we are actively working on restoring,” said Colonial. “We are in the process of restoring service to other pipelines and will bring the entire system back online when we believe it is safe and in full compliance with all federal regulations. “. The DarkSide message appears on the victim’s computer screen. DarkSide isn’t the largest cybercriminal gang in the field, but the incident demonstrates the heightened risk that malware poses to critical U.S. industrial infrastructure, not just businesses. This gang lists all types of stolen data and sends the victim the URL of the “personal leak site”, where the data is pre-loaded waiting for automatic publication, if the company or organization does not. payment before the deadline. DarkSide claims to provide proof of the data obtained, and is ready to delete all such data from the victim’s network. According to Digital Shadows, a London-based cybersecurity company that tracks global cybercrime groups to help businesses limit their risk of being hacked, DarkSide acts like a company.

The attack was one of the most disruptive digital ransom schemes reported, prompting US lawmakers to call for increased protection of America’s critical energy infrastructure from hackers. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said pipeline repairs were a priority for the Biden administration and Washington was working to avoid more severe fuel supply disruptions by helping Colonial restart the road network. The tube is more than 5,500 miles (8,850 km) long. “Right now it’s an all-in-one effort,” Raimondo said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “We are working closely with company, state and local officials to ensure they return to normal operations as quickly as possible and without disruption to supplies,” Colonial said. The pipeline network was attacked – Photo: Reuters Their main fuel lines are still offline, but some of the smaller routes between the terminals and delivery points are now up and running. Neither Raimondo nor the company has given an estimate of a full reboot date. U.S. gasoline futures rose more than 3% to $2,217 a gallon, the highest since May 2018 as trading opened for the week and market participants reacted to pipeline closures. Colonial ships about 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline and other fuels from refineries on the Gulf Coast to consumers. Its extensive pipeline network serves major US airports including Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport, the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic. A spokeswoman for Charlotte Douglas International Airport said the airport had supplies on hand and was “monitoring the situation closely”. Retail fuel experts including the American Automobile Association say outages lasting several days could have a significant impact on fuel supplies in the region, particularly in the southeastern US. Colonial Pipeline’s fuel tanks – Photo: Reuters While the US government investigation is in its early stages, a former official and three industry sources said the suspected hackers were a professional cybercrime group called DarkSide. DarkSide is one of many gangs that often use malware to extort victims. These groups gain access to private networks, encrypt files with software, and often steal data. They ask for money to decrypt the files and ask for more money to not publish the stolen content. During the Colonial attack, the hackers stole more than 100 gigabytes of data.

Fuel will be transported by road to Washington DC and the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee , Texas, Virginia. Colonial Pipeline is the largest oil pipeline operator in the United States On May 7, the leading US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline announced the shutdown of its entire network following a cyber attack by ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to lock down a system by encrypting data and demanding a ransom from the victim to regain access. Colonial Pipeline asked a cybersecurity company to coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies to investigate this cyberattack. The shutdown of the largest fuel pipeline network in the United States will cause the price of this item and related products to spike. According to some sources, a hacker group called “DarkSide” is suspected of causing the attack. This is a group of hackers that have carried out many cyber attacks that have cost many Western countries tens of billions of dollars in the past 3 years.

Colonial Pipeline had to shut down the entire network after a cyber attack. Photo: wsj.com The administration of President Joe Biden said it was making every effort to restore the company’s operations and avoid disruption to supply. Experts say gas prices will not be affected if the company resumes normal operations in the next few days. However, this cyberattack, rated as the worst ever for the US infrastructure system, should be a warning bell for other companies about the risk they will become the next target of similar attacks. According to Colonial Pipeline, the company’s pipeline carries gasoline and other fuels from Texas to the Northeast, providing nearly 45 percent of the fuel for the East Coast of the United States. Although Colonial Pipeline has not revealed who is responsible for the cyber attack, an unnamed person on the team investigating the incident confirmed that the culprit was a hacker group nicknamed Darkside. This group has been spreading ransomware since August 2020 and is classified as one of the most attackable groups. Over the past 3 years, Darkside has become more and more professional and has caused Western countries tens of billions of dollars in losses. Ransomware attacks are malicious code designed to lock down computer systems using encrypted data and demand a ransom to restore access. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on May 9 warned US businesses to be wary of ransomware attacks. The female minister affirmed that she would work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to handle the issue, considering this a top priority of the government. Reuters news agency, citing a notice from the White House, said the administration was working to help Colonial Pipeline company resume operations to avoid supply disruptions. According to sources, before activating ransomware, hackers often steal data, which is used to blackmail businesses or distort the truth. Sometimes stolen data is more valuable to hackers than the benefit they get by disrupting business operations. Security experts say the attack is a warning to operators and managers of essential infrastructure in the US such as electricity, water, energy and transportation facilities that have long been built. do not update the method to ensure security against the risk of being attacked. Mr. David Kennedy, a senior security consultant and founder of the security consulting firm TrustedSec, admitted that ransomware attacks have spiraled out of control in the US and are currently under development. is one of the greatest threats facing the United States. However, most American companies lack the ability to prepare for such threats.

According to the Vice , DarkSide’s message does not directly refer to the Colonial Pipeline attack, but is titled “Regarding the Latest News”. The group said its actions were unrelated to politics. The cyber attack on May 7 caused the Colonial Pipeline’s fuel pipeline system to stop working. Photo: Bloomberg. “We are a non-political group, not involved in geopolitics. Don’t tie us to a government or look for other motives… Our aim is to make money, not to cause problems for society,” a DarkSide representative wrote on a website belonging to the dark web. According to the Washington Post , some US officials believe that DarkSide is the hacker group behind the Colonial Pipeline attack. Also in the new statement, DarkSide said it will change the way it works and selects targets. “From today, we will examine and analyze each company that partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences,” the group wrote. On May 7, Colonial Pipeline announced that it had to disconnect some systems after discovering it was “a victim of a cyber attack”. According to the Business Insider , this move caused more than 8,046 km of fuel pipes and some computer systems of Colonial Pipeline to stop working. In an updated statement on May 8, the company representative confirmed that the software used for the attack was in the form of ransomware, which encrypts files in the system and requires victims to pay if they want to get it. again. The company hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the severity of the attack. The DarkSide hacker group spoke out after the alleged implementation of a cyber attack against the Colonial Pipeline. Photo: Motherboard. According to information on its website, Colonial Pipeline transports about 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast of the United States. On May 9, the company said that while the main pipelines are still closed, some smaller pipelines have been reactivated. In response to the incident, the US Department of Transportation has declared a state of emergency in 17 states and Washington to lift restrictions on carriers and drivers assisting in fuel shortages. The declaration of emergency will be in effect until the end of the state of affairs, or until 23:59 on June 8 (local time). After the Colonial Pipeline incident, gasoline prices in the US increased more than 3% to $2,217 per gallon – the highest price since May 2018. Experts warn that the price of gas raw materials may increase further if Colonial Pipeline does not reopen the pipeline in the next few days. How did the FBI hack the suspect’s iPhone? Cellebrite has invented a phone-cracking technology that makes it easier for the FBI to investigate.

Colonial Pipeline’s Dorsey hub in Maryland, USA. Photo: Reuters The difficulty in fuel supply has raised concerns that gasoline prices at pumping stations will escalate during the peak summer travel season. Colonial Pipeline said the company is trying to resume operations this weekend after its fuel pipeline system was paralyzed since May 7 after being hit by a cyber attack. The shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline’s fuel pipeline system shut down nearly half of the US East Coast’s fuel supply. The US Energy Administration on May 10 called for mandatory cybersecurity standards for fuel pipeline operators and operators. “Incentivizing the voluntary application of standards to pipelines is inadequate,” said US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has accused a cybercriminal group called “DarkSide” of causing a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. Reuters news agency quoted cybersecurity experts as saying that DarkSide is based in Russia or Eastern Europe, so the gang usually avoids targeting computers that use the languages ​​of the former Soviet republics. However, US President Joe Biden on May 10 expressed he did not believe that the Russian government was behind the cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline. “So far there is no evidence based on our intelligence that Russia is involved,” Biden said. A statement titled DarkSide group on May 10 stated: “Our goal is to make money and not create problems for society.” Ransomware attack is a type of malware designed to disable computers by encrypting data and blackmailing victims if they want to regain system access. It is not clear what price the hackers offered for Colonial Pipeline, and the company has not commented on the matter. Fuel demand in the southeastern United States has increased sharply in recent days as consumers fear fuel shortages. The Southeastern region of the United States has long depended mainly on the supply of fuel flowing through the Colonial Pipeline’s pipeline system. The average national gasoline price rose 6 cents to $2.96 a gallon last week, the highest since May 2018 and close to a peak set in 2014, the American Automobile Association said. also warned of speculation about fuel hoarding as the supply continued to decrease. Katina Willey, a resident of Florida on May 10, said she had to go to 5 gas stations to buy gas. “Consumers have to wait in long lines at three of the five gas stations I go to,” added Katina Willey. Many other car owners said they were also looking to refill their gas tanks out of fear that the fuel situation could worsen. If the Colonial Pipeline’s pipeline disruptions continue, fuel suppliers may be able to force fuel transportation by trucks and trains to partially ease the fuel shortage. The US Department of Transportation on May 9 lifted travel restrictions for fuel truck drivers in 17 states affected by supply disruptions.

Illustration. The breach at Alpharetta, Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline is the latest in a series of cybersecurity incidents confronting the administration of President Joe Biden – as well as a striking reminder that many companies Operators of the nation’s most basic infrastructure, from dams to power plants, are still unprepared to deal with the threats posed by toxic numbers. Here’s a summary of how a criminal gang managed to get into Colonial’s systems and why the tool they use – ransomware – is such a persistent threat. How can a hacker shut down a pipeline? On May 7, Colonial Pipeline said it learned that hackers had infected their computer networks with ransomware, malicious code used to take control of computers and extract payments from victims. The breach affected Colonial’s business network, which it uses for tasks like payroll management and data reporting to regulators. Colonial disabled those systems, but it also turned off the much more sensitive technology running its pipeline operations — a precaution meant to prevent hackers from accessing it if they hadn’t already. These systems monitor air flow for impurities and leaks, control power levels, and perform other automated tasks to keep pipelines running smoothly. What exactly was closed? Colonial shut down its entire main pipeline, more than 5,500 miles long from Houston, Texas, to Linden, New Jersey. The pipeline transports 45% of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel to the US East Coast, according to the company. The short-lived outage sent wholesale gas prices up on financial markets in the affected region, but that rally cooled slightly during trading on May 10. And while some gasoline retailers may try to add a few cents a gallon to the price at the pump, there have been no reports of shortages at suppliers serving those retail points. Market analysts say the pipeline shutdown will need to last through at least the middle of the week to start affecting supply in some parts of the Southeast, and Houston’s refineries won’t start. reduce production unless Colonial shuts down until next week. Overall, the US is stockpiling 235 million barrels of gasoline, enough to supply the whole country for nearly a month. However, retail gasoline prices have risen steadily in recent weeks and any anxiety could accelerate gains as the country approaches Memorial Day weekend, which the industry considers is the beginning of the “summer driving season” in high demand. How bad could this be? It depends on whether the outage turns into a protracted crisis for Colonial’s customers, which include busy airports and US military bases. Some customers can buy fuel from foreign suppliers, but they will face more financial pressure as Colonial’s pipeline network remains offline. Colonial said on May 10 that it has begun reactivating segments of the pipeline and anticipates “significantly restoring operational service by the end of the week”. However, they did not explain what “basically” means and did provide some other details about the attack investigation. What is Ransomware? Ransomware is software that hackers deploy to lock down victims’ data so they can’t access or use it – in the worst case scenario, essentially shutting down an entire company or government office. The hacker then demands a ransom in exchange for providing a digital key to unlock the files. Over the past few years, ransomware has grown from an occasional nuisance to a ubiquitous threat. Victims include the hospital system, the school district and the DC police department, as well as many small businesses. According to the FBI report, ransomware attacks increased by 37% from 2018-2019 and 20% from 2019-2020. According to one report, the pandemic has led to a significant increase in ransomware, with the number of attacks Attacks more than doubled year-on-year, with a particularly large increase in the healthcare sector. The Department of Justice recently launched a task force to explore new solutions to the problem. But in the meantime, the problem continues to get worse as criminal motives grow. Why aren’t pipelines and power plants better protected against ransomware? The private companies that operate much of America’s critical infrastructure — power plants, dams, natural gas pipelines, and other critical facilities — often neglect to implement safety protocols. government-recommended cybersecurity. While protecting against foreign government hackers sometimes requires complex technology that small critical infrastructure operators cannot afford, protecting against ransomware is are not. Use strong passwords, train employees not to click on suspicious links, and require employees to use multi-factor authentication – which involves entering a randomly generated number after entering one’s password – can prevent all but the most advanced types of hacks, including ransomware. Despite years of warnings from government officials and cybersecurity experts, most companies outside of the highly regulated financial sector have not taken many of these steps. And even organizations that try to take cybersecurity seriously can be covered by small holes. A long-neglected office worker or old computer in a closet is often the weak link that opens an organization’s doors to hackers. With so many companies leaving themselves with easy targets, many cybercriminals have started using ransomware to make money. By choosing victims they know there can be no downtime, these criminals virtually guarantee themselves an easy profit. Additionally, many ransomware operators have begun exploiting a secondary source of profit: reselling stolen data on the dark web, where sensitive personal information can fetch huge sums. Between victims and hackers is a burgeoning crypto ecosystem, consisting of unscrupulous payment facilitators ready to handle ransom transactions and rock wall law enforcement. How often do victims pay the ransom? The US government discourages ransomware victims from paying attackers to regain access to their data. While some ransomware operators honor their agreements and unlock victims’ files to foster trust and increase their chances of receiving a future ransom, many of these criminals simply take the money and disappear. Paying the ransom also encourages cybercriminals to continue their attacks. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, said: “We recognize that victims of cyberattacks often face very difficult situations and they must balance the cost-benefit when there is no other option about paying the ransom,” – told reporters on May 10 In the US, it is not illegal to pay a ransom to regain access to locked data. However, it is illegal to pay ransoms to entities on the Treasury’s sanctions list, and the Treasury Department has warned companies that assist ransomware victims to conduct due diligence on hackers. before making payment arrangements. DarkSide, what is the group behind the attack? The FBI has confirmed that the Colonial Pipeline hack was the work of the DarkSide ransomware gang. This group is a relatively newcomer to the ransomware ecosystem, but they are already well known for their professionalism, patience, and large ransom demand. Security firm Cybereason wrote in a report last month: “The team has a phone number and even a help desk to facilitate negotiations with the victim, and they are putting a lot of effort into gathering information. about their victims – not just technical information about their environment, but more general information about the company itself, like the size of the organization and estimated revenue.” DarkSide is based in Russia, but so far the US has said it does not believe the hackers acted on behalf of the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Biden said on the afternoon of May 10: “To date, there is no evidence … from our intelligence people that Russia is involved. However, he added: “There is evidence that the actor’s ransomware is in Russia. They have some responsibility to deal with this.” Like other ransomware gangs, DarkSide operates on a so-called “ransomware-as-a-service” model, in which it provides code to less sophisticated hackers and helps them carry out attacks enter in exchange for their share of the profits. After being closely watched by the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide seems to be rethinking this model. On May 10, a purported statement from the DarkSide hackers announced the group’s intention to scrutinize the partners’ planned attacks in the future to “avoid social consequences.” festival”. “Our goal is to make money, and not create problems for society.” What is the US government doing with this attack? The White House has established a working group that includes the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency; The Department of Transport’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; FBI; and the Departments of Energy, Treasury and Defense. These agencies are working together to prepare for various scenarios should the pipeline remain shut, including planning for shortages and higher gas prices. In addition, the Department of Transportation waives regulations that limit the driving time without rest of fuel trucks in 17 states and Washington DC. That could make it easier to deliver to customers due to Colonial’s closure.

Illustration. The hack brought down the pipeline, now in its sixth day, and led to panic buying and gas shortages in the Southeastern United States. Colonial said it began reopening its pipeline late Wednesday afternoon, a process that could take days, but declined to comment on the ransom issue. Colonial is working closely with law enforcement, the Department of Energy, and US cybersecurity company FireEye to minimize damage and restore operations. Colonial and government responses to the breach are being closely watched following one of the most direct hacking attacks on US critical infrastructure after years of warnings. Ransomware attacks have increased in number and ransom prices, with hackers encrypting data and seeking cryptocurrency payments to unlock. Investigators in the Colonial case say the malware was distributed by a gang known as DarkSide, which consisted of Russian-speaking people and evaded attack targets in the former Soviet Union. DarkSide previously said that it has no intention of meddling in geopolitics and will be more careful about its affiliates going forward. On Wednesday, the group said on its website that it was “dropping” data from three other victims, including a technology company in Chicago. Officials have so far found no significant connection to the Russian government, concluding instead that the pipeline company that supplies 45% of the US East Coast’s oil was crippled by the attack. ransomware. DarkSide allows “affiliates” to infiltrate targets in different places, then handle ransom negotiation and data release. Two people involved in the Colonial investigation said the man linked in this case was a Russian criminal with no special ties to the government.

Illustration. https://kinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn The action comes as Colonial Pipeline continues to face a ransomware attack that crippled the pipeline system, leading to widespread fuel shortages along the East Coast, prompting the Biden administration to take notice. get “the response of the whole government”. The Colonial Pipeline hack is just the latest example of criminal groups or state actors exploiting US cyber vulnerabilities. Last year, IT company SolarWinds’ software was breached, giving hackers access to communications and data within several government agencies. “We simply cannot let waiting for trouble next thing that happens is the status quo we are operating in,” an official told reporters during a conference call on the evening of May 12. Biden’s executive order takes several steps to modernize the nation’s cybersecurity: Require information technology service providers to notify the government of cybersecurity breaches that may affect U.S. networks and remove certain contractual barriers that may prevent providers from doing so. provide violations. Create a standardized guidebook and set of definitions for federal responses to cyber incidents. Push the federal government to upgrade to secure cloud services and other network infrastructure, and mandate multi-factor authentication and encryption for a specific period of time. Improve the security of software sold to the government, by requiring developers to publicly share certain confidential data. Establish a “Cybersecurity Review Board” composed of public and private sector officials, which may convene after cyber attacks to analyze the situation and make recommendations. Improve information sharing within the federal government by enacting a government-wide endpoint detection and response system. News of the President’s action came about an hour after Colonial announced it had restarted pipeline operations, although it would take several days for fuel deliveries to return to normal. “Colonial will move as much gasoline, diesel and jet fuel as possible and will continue to do so until the market returns to normal,” the statement also thanked the Biden administration “for its leadership and their cooperation”. https://kinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn

Accordingly, on the group’s website, DarkSide confirmed that it never intended to interrupt the US fuel supply when attacking the network of the Colonial Pipeline company, headquartered in Georgia, USA. The group also said that it will carefully examine its goals in the future, while emphasizing that the group is not affiliated with any governments when the cyber attack takes place because the group is always acting alone. DarkSide wrote on the website: “We are a non-political organization. We are not tied to a government. Our goal is to make money, not to put society in a difficult situation like it is today. in”. “From today, we will carefully examine each company that our partners want to attack to avoid future consequences,” the DarkSide team stressed. The partners the group refers to are “affiliates” of the group, DarkSide said. This group of hackers acts as a company that specializes in providing “hacking services” and is not directly involved in cyber attacks on companies or governments. The team will develop malware for the cyber attacks and negotiate the ransom with the victim, at the request of their partner. One source believes that DarkSide will receive 20-30% of the ransom for its services.

Accordingly, on the group’s website, DarkSide confirmed that it never intended to interrupt the US fuel supply when attacking the network of the Colonial Pipeline company, headquartered in Georgia, USA. The group also said that it will carefully examine its goals in the future, while emphasizing that the group is not affiliated with any governments when the cyber attack takes place because the group is always acting alone. DarkSide wrote on the website: “We are a non-political organization. We are not tied to a government. Our goal is to make money, not to put society in a difficult situation like it is today. in”. “From today, we will carefully examine each company that our partners want to attack to avoid future consequences,” the DarkSide team stressed. The partners the group refers to are “affiliates” of the group, DarkSide said. This group of hackers acts as a company that specializes in providing “hacking services” and is not directly involved in cyber attacks on companies or governments. The team will develop malware for the cyber attacks and negotiate the ransom with the victim, at the request of their partner. One source believes that DarkSide will receive 20-30% of the ransom for its services.

Colonial Pipeline America’s largest fuel pipeline system was attacked by network, has not yet assessed the damage. (Source: Freightwaves) To deal with the incident, the company had to close the entire network. Colonial Pipeline said the attack “suspended all pipeline operations and affected some of our IT systems”. Sources in cybersecurity revealed that the malware used in the Colonial Pipeline attack was ransomware – a type of malware designed to block systems with how to encrypt data and request a ransom payment to restore access. The Colonial transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products from the Gulf of Texas to the populous US East Coast via a 8,850 km pipeline, serving 50 million customers. Oil analyst Andy Lipow said that the impact of the attack on supply and fuel prices will depend on how long the pipeline is down. If the line stops working for a day or two, the impact will be minor. However, if the pipeline is forced to shut down for 5 or 6, shortages or price increases will occur, especially in the area stretching from Alabama to Washington DC. (According to AFP, Reuters)