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A RANSOMWARE ATTACK on a US IT company potentially targeted 1,000 businesses, researchers have said, with one of Sweden’s biggest supermarket chains revealing it had to temporarily close around 800 stores after losing access to its checkouts.
Russian-based hackers have been blamed for a string of ransomware attacks, and US President Joe Biden recently raised the threat in talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Biden ordered a full investigation yesterday, while adding “the initial thinking was it was not the Russian government, but we’re not sure yet”.
“I’ll know better tomorrow, and if it is either with the knowledge of and/or a consequence of Russia, then I told Putin we will respond,” he said.
The IT company targeted, Kaseya, said on Friday evening it had limited the attack to “a very small percentage of our customers” who use its signature VSA software – “currently estimated at fewer than 40 worldwide”.
But cybersecurity firm Huntress Labs said in a Reddit forum that it was working with partners targeted in the attack, and that the software was manipulated “to encrypt more than 1,000 companies”.
Ransomware attacks typically involve locking away data in systems using encryption, making companies pay to regain access.
Brett Callow, an analyst for cybersecurity company Emsisoft, said it remained unknown how many companies were affected and said the scale of attack could be “without precedent”.
Kaseya describes itself as a leading provider of IT and security management services to small and medium-sized businesses. VSA is designed to let companies manage networks of computers and printers from a single point.
“One of our subcontractors was hit by a digital attack, and that’s why our checkouts aren’t working any more,” Coop Sweden, which accounts for around 20% of the country’s supermarket sector, said in a statement.
“We regret the situation and will do all we can to reopen swiftly,” the cooperative added.
Coop Sweden did not name the subcontractor or reveal the hacking method used against it.
But the Swedish subsidiary of the Visma software group said the problem was linked to the Kaseya attack.
Immediate shutdown
Kaseya became aware of a possible incident with VSA at midday on Friday on the US East Coast and “immediately shut down” its servers as a “precautionary measure,” it said.
It also “notified our on-premises customers via email, in-product notes, and phone to shut down their VSA servers to prevent them from being compromised”.
“We believe that we have identified the source of the vulnerability and are preparing a patch to mitigate it,” the company said in a statement.
According to the New Zealand government’s Computer Emergency Response Team, the attackers were from a hacking group known as REvil.
REvil was also, according to the FBI, behind last month’s attack on JBS, one of the world’s biggest meat processors, which ended with the Brazil-based company paying bitcoin worth $11 million to the hackers.
‘Avoid paying’
The UN Security Council this week held its first formal public meeting on cybersecurity, addressing the growing threat of hacks to countries’ key infrastructure.
Several Security Council members acknowledged the grave dangers posed by cybercrime, notably ransomware attacks on major installations and companies.
Multiple US companies, including the computer group SolarWinds and the Colonial oil pipeline, have also recently been targeted by ransomware attacks.
The FBI has blamed those attacks on hackers based in Russian territory.
But typically, “cybercriminals operate company by company,” said Gerome Billois, a cybersecurity expert with Wavestone consultancy.
“In this case, they attacked a company that provides software for managing data systems, allowing them to simultaneously target several dozen – possibly even hundreds – of companies,” he said.
Determining exactly how many is difficult, since affected companies lose their communications systems at the same time, Billois said.
And Kaseya, which had urged its clients to shut down servers running its VSA platform, cannot know whether systems were turned off “voluntarily or by force”.
“This is one of the largest, most widespread ransomware attacks I’ve seen in my career,” said Alfred Saikali of law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
“I have never seen this many companies hire us in a single day for the same incident. As a general rule, you want to avoid paying the ransom at all costs.”
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Former teacher, future pension.
Every little hurts.
Frankfurt’s way or labour’s way.
Sure isn’t that the kind of thing you tend to say before an election.
Never forget Pat Rabbitte’s odious comment :
“I have just come from another heavy day spent reducing the living standards of the Irish people.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/rabbitte-lured-by-the-one-liner-1.1316682
Never heard of him. Rats fleeing the ship
Joanna Tuffy….has the same chance as you,and your not running.
he says in his statement ”the low point was phil hogan’s mis=handling of water tax”, would love to ask him where does the near 7000 of our capitals citizens rank on his scale,, no wonder on average of last 4yrs 92% of electorate wouldnt vote labour
should say homeless citizens,,sy
Could be a serious tactical error by Labour. As a constituent I can honestly say that while people are pretty indifferent to Robert Dowds but find him likable enough, Joanna Tuffy is despised in the area and is seen as one of the main apologists and enablers of the government. Her recent words on the homeless crisis has nailed the coffin lid shut on her re-election prospects.
And Joanna Tuffy wont be re-elected either, shes a smug arrogant person, she actually had the neck to tell lone parents to simply bring their children to work with them. anyone who thinks this is possible should not be anywhere near government. http://www.newstalk.com/Labour-TD-Tuffy-criticised-for-suggesting-lone-parents-should-simply-bring-children-to-work
Enjoy your pension ye feckin leech.
It should be pensions.
Well said.
Reality is finally dawning on the traitors.
Tuffy an obnoxious person little chance of being elected
Agreed John. Her dad, Eamonn, is an absolute gent and an excellent public representative. He lost his council seat last year at the locals due to the treachery of the labour parliamentary party, which is kind of a shame.
Lets not forget Tuffys lie’s on the water charges. http://www.labour.ie/press/2009/12/08/move-to-domestic-water-charges-a-retrograde-step/
I voted for him after he personally told me they would watch F G. One embarrassing arsehole. Well he got his thirty pieces of silver.
No need for crystal ball to see anihalilatiin. Rats, ship, etc….
annihilation….
comparing labour politicians to rats is unfair!.. rats have more dignity
Dowds goes on and votes Tá to every Fine Gael slash and burn policy. Everyone of them. Its on record ..defend that
Another Rat deserting the fast sinking ship, good riddence!
@Gus Sheridan,
It would be hard for him to abandon the ship any faster than all the bilge FF rats, when the property meltdown shit hit the fan..
traitors, not one vote,wipe them off the political map.
If Tuffy is best placed for reelection, that means Dowd had zero hope. Were as Tuffy has now has 000000000000000000.1 chance of being returned to the next Dail.
Anyone have a handy list of achievements by this fella, what kind of success’ has he delivered for Dublin mid-west ?
Labour party member Adam Hurley is praising him below, very vague however
You enjoy that big pension now Robert ,don’t spend it all at once,git
He’ll be back
An awful waffler Dowds.
That’s the difference between a true Labour socialist and a champagne photo copy.
A real socialist doesn’t have to go through mental gymnastics when asked a basic question on economics.
So Dowd’s is considering going back to teaching when he retires from politics……there is no ” Integrity ” in that. What an utterly selfish man who would deprive any young teacher of getting a job.
“Betrayal then Retirement” the memoirs of a Labour Party Sellout. Nothing personal.
One can easily see why. This compliant weasel knows he has NOTHING whatever to offer the electorate – has no charm, no charisma – basically nothing. Given those facts, why would he put himself through that process? A fabulous pension awaits, don’t feel too sorry for him.
Dublin Mid West will be electing Eoin O Broin and Gino Kenny so no room for Labour anyway
Vote Theft Ireland aka Kevin Higgins. Will you be supporting the D O B YFG candidates in the area seeing as you worked for them?
Yes I’m Kevin higgins, yes I worked in a topaz and no I oppose fine gael in just about everything. I’m a member of people before profit and I support all on the left. would you like to know what I ate for breakfast?
“Dublin Mid West will be electing Eoin O Broin and Gino Kenny so no room for Labour anyway”
That’s my one and two there. Gino’s a brilliant public representative and Eoins got a serious head on his shoulders.
Who is Jeff Buckley? I don’t know and don’t care but it is slightly worrying I have someone following me around online.
Thought it was David Higgins that was a member of YFG?
exactly I’m his socialist younger brother.
Great Craic at the dinner table
VLI animated I would imagine.
Its a better chance of winning the lotto
In Joanna Tuffys defence she has created one job whilst in government ! Well done Joanna – you go girl! And stay gone while you’re at it!
http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/party-rival-slams-td-for-hiring-her-partner-29990953.html
All the labour T.Ds should change their names to Judas ,as that what the are traitors ,and liars ,Good riddance enjoy your pension paid for by the people you betrayed ,
Thanks Robert for making no difference in the politics of Ireland. Enjoy your fat pension paid by the idiots that voted for you.
This is the bloke who called for the abolition of fee paying schools having sent his daughter to one
Man of great integrity who has represented the people of Clondalkin well for over a decade. Very few politicians would stand aside to ensure the election of a constituency colleague. Huge respect for Mr. Dowds.
Ensure..maybe a touch premature?
Joanne Tuffy won’t be getting elected. she has harmed too many of her single parent, low wage and mortgage arrears voters to be returned to the dail.
Adam Hurley.secretary at UCD labour………..Another delusional young man with NO experience in the real world.
LOL – Very quick off the mark with your “ensure the election of a colleague” , joanna tuffy has very little chance of being re-elected after shafting the people of Clondalkin for the last 4 years.
Time to get your head out of your hole young man, and see the lies,deceit and total disregard your party has towards the electorate.
in adams la la land standing aside to get tuffy elected ?,, arrogant in the extreme to assume tuffy would get elected and dowds hadnt a snowballs chance of being elected either way
Adam , I have a few questions for his exit interview, when will that be held?
No doubt fellow Mid West TD Frances Fitzgerald, who likes to call herself the ‘Minister for Justice’, will be chuffed that a male TD is doing the decent thing and not running for re-election. It’s called Democracy 2015.
Hi Adam haven’t seen you comment here in a while.Last time you told me I hadn’t a clue when I told you that Labour wouldn’t return a MEP to Europe. Tuffy has no hope of being reelected, it would have been better had she retired and Dowds run again.
@ adam :”Man of great integrity ”
A man of great integrity would have walked when labour crossed their red line issues such as cutting child benefit. The only labour TD to show real integrity was Roisin Shortall and shes one of the most highly respected TDs in the Dail as a result.
His standing aside will not ensure the reelection of any constituency colleague. Very few Dublin Labour TDs will be returned.
Adam whatever drugs your on pass them round to the rest of us cos they must be some trip to be coming out with such shite
Well if Joan says it it must be true
This is like a re run of the last ge,remember all the ff tds going to retire.you would think liebour would have learned a lesson. Only in it for the moolah.
This is my constituency. Dowds would have a relatively better chance of re-election than Tuffy, but not enough to be a viable bet. I’d imagine Dublin Mid-West will be one of the major ‘Labour-back-lash’ constituencies in the coming general election. Ironically Tuffy began this Dail as one of the most likely Labour TD’s to leave the party (she walked out of Noonan’s first budget speech in disgust for example), but after the first two years (as far as I can tell) she has merged into the Labour background apparent consensus, at least in public interviews. Dowds has towed the party line too often (Vincent Browne’s show). I don’t know how Frances Fitzgerald will poll, but I’d imagine she has the best chance of re-election. A very safe bet is three new TD’s from this constituency next time, with Eoin O’Broin of SF the likeliest.
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A seat in the Seanad beckons
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