"More Than 290 Enterprises Hit by 6 Ransomware Groups in 2021"

According to a new report from the managed detection and response firm eSentire, six ransomware gangs have hit over 290 enterprises between January 1 and April 30 this year, bringing in an estimated $45 million for the attackers. The six ransomware groups include Ryuk/Conti, Sodin/REvil, Clop, DoppelPaymer/BitPaymer, DarkSide, and Avaddon, each of which has focused on specific industries and regions. For example, the Ryuk/Conti gang executed attacks against 352 organizations since 2018 and 63 this year, most of which have been manufacturing, construction, and transportation companies. Sodin/REvil ransomware operators focus on healthcare organizations and laptop manufacturers, such as Acer and Quanta. The DoppelPaymer/BitPaymer gang largely focuses on government institutions and schools. The Clop ransomware group has focused its efforts on exploiting a vulnerability in Accellion's file transfer system, which has led to attacks against the University of California, Stanford University, the Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier, the global law firm Jones Day, and more. An attack on Colonial Pipeline by the DarkSide gang led to gas shortages and higher prices in the US. The Avaddon group was recently reported to have attacked the major European insurance company Axa, which provides cyber insurance to many companies and is known for pledging to stop reimbursing customers in France that pay ransoms. It is highly suspected that these groups are attacking many more entities than the public realizes. As no single sector or region is immune from ransomware, it is important that both public and private sector organizations put security protections in place to mitigate damages from ransomware attacks. This article continues to discuss findings from eSentire's report regarding the targets, capabilities, and impact of six ransomware groups.

ZDNet reports "More Than 290 Enterprises Hit by 6 Ransomware Groups in 2021"