The terms ransomware and social engineering are sometimes used interchangeably, particularly in news articles about major ransomware attacks.  The confusion is understandable: Many bad actors use social engineering techniques to distribute malicious software. However, social engineering is an attack vector,...

Remote monitoring and management (RMM) software plays an essential role in many IT departments. With appropriate controls, an RMM solution enables teams to proactively monitor their systems, resolve issues, and handle other tasks — but RMMs can also introduce significant...

MGM Resorts International was allegedly victimized by a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group on September 11, 2023, leading to the temporary shutdown of operations at numerous hotels and resorts. pic.twitter.com/nxIweGInsB — MGM Resorts (@MGMResortsIntl) September 11, 2023“MGM Resorts recently identified a...

Several standards exist for secure data/media sanitization, but the most commonly cited standards are NIST SP 800-88.  Published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), SP 800-88 defines processes for destroying data on hard disk drives (HDDs) and...

The Cuba ransomware Group, also known as Fidel, has modified their malware variant to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Developer Program.  Contrary to its name, the Cuba group is believed to be based in Russia. For the past...

On Tuesday, August 8th, 2023, the White House held a cybersecurity summit to address a recent wave of ransomware attacks targeting U.S. schools.  According to The Hill, at least 48 school districts have been victimized by ransomware attacks in...

To address a ransomware attack, it’s vital to identify the attack vector. That’s not always easy: Ransomware groups may go to great lengths to hide their methods, particularly during targeted attacks.  However, the vast majority of incidents can be traced...

At Datarecovery.com, we operate four full-service laboratories to maintain the industry’s highest success rates for RAID arrays, hard drives, solid-state drives, and various other data storage technologies. We routinely recover cases that have been dismissed as “unrecoverable” by other firms,...

Ransomware works by encrypting key files and databases, preventing organizations from accessing them — but lost data is not the only potential result of a ransomware infection. Many ransomware groups are now selling stolen data online using the dark web...

Fortinet FortiGuard Labs has identified a new piece of ransomware that encrypts files while presenting fake Microsoft Windows updates and Word installers. The ransomware, nicknamed “Big Head,” is likely distributed via phishing. Victims are tricked into downloading an update for...