CS50 2021 in HDR - Lecture 1 - C

Hackers, malware and Ransomware

 

 new update on Jan 9, 2022

Hackers Have Been Sending Malware-Filled USB Sticks to U.S. Companies Disguised as Presents

The "malicious USB stick" trick is old but apparently it's still wildly popular with the crooks.

By

Lucas Ropek

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new update on May 29, 2021

Microsoft warns that Russian hackers used US agency to mount huge cyberattack

Hackers behind the SolarWinds attack gained access to the email system of a US aid agency, says Microsoft.

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The Extortion Economy

Like Voldemort, Ransomware Is Too Scary to Be Named

Wary of alarming investors, companies victimized by ransomware attacks often tell the SEC that “malware” or a “security incident” disrupted their operations.

by Renee Dudley

Dec. 23, 2019,

The Ransomware Superhero of Normal, Illinois

Thanks to Michael Gillespie, an obscure programmer at a Nerds on Call repair store, hundreds of thousands of ransomware victims have recovered their files for free.

by Renee Dudley

Oct. 28, 2019, 

The New Target That Enables Ransomware Hackers to Paralyze Dozens of Towns and Businesses at Once

Cybercriminals are zeroing in on the managed service providers that handle computer systems for local governments and medical clinics.

by Renee Dudley

Sept. 12, 2019,

 

 

The Extortion Economy: How Insurance Companies Are Fueling a Rise in Ransomware Attacks

Even when public agencies and companies hit by ransomware could recover their files on their own, insurers prefer to pay the ransom. Why? The attacks are good for business.

by Renee Dudley

Aug. 27, 2019, 

 

As ransomware attacks crippled businesses and law enforcement agencies, two U.S. data recovery firms claimed to offer an ethical way out. Instead, they typically paid the ransom and charged victims extra.

From 2015 to 2018, a strain of ransomware known as SamSam paralyzed computer networks across North America and the U.K. It caused more than $30 million in damage to at least 200 entities, including the cities of Atlanta and Newark, New Jersey, the Port of San Diego and Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles. It knocked out Atlanta’s online water service requests and billing systems, prompted the Colorado Department of Transportation to call in the National Guard, and delayed medical appointments and treatments for patients nationwide whose electronic records couldn’t be retrieved. In return for restoring access to the files, the cyberattackers collected at least $6 million in ransom.