US federal agencies alert healthcare systems against ransomware assault threat

US Federal agencies have warned of “imminent cybercrime threat” against the nation’s healthcare system designed to store hospital information systems that can potentially hurt patient care amid a surge of COVID-19 cases. In a joint alert released on October 28, FBI along with two other federal agencies have cautioned that they have received “credible information” of increased cybercriminals that are releasing a wave of data-scrambling extortion attempts in the United States. As per the government warning, the groups are targeting the sector with certain attacks that provide “data theft and disruption of healthcare services.”

As per the Associated Press report, the cyberattacks involve ransomware, that digs through data into gibberish that only is unlocked with software keys after the targets pay a certain amount of money. Independent security experts have reportedly discovered that such attacks have already robbed at least five hospitals in the US just this week. Potentially, hundreds of hospitals can be impacted in the future. However, the timing of cybercrime led be reportedly Russian-speaking gang coincides with the US presidential election that is just around the corner.

Read - FBI Begins Probe In US Ballot Drop Box Arson Case, Asserts 'it's A Top Priority'

But there is no immediate indication of the illegal activities being linked to anything except profit for money. The chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, Charles Carmkal said in a statement, “We are experiencing the most significant cybersecurity threat we’ve ever seen in the United States.” Meanwhile, CEO of Hold Security, Alex Holden that has been monitoring the ransomware in the question for over a year, reportedly agreed that the discovery of the offensive is not only of unprecedented magnitude but also mentioned the unusual timing of it happening at the time of presidential election along with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Read - Fire Set In Boston Ballot Drop Box; FBI Asked To Probe Fire

Cybercriminals are using Ryuk

In the federal alert authored also by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services, it is said that the cybercriminals are launching attacks by using a strain of ransomware called Ryuk. It is seeded through a network of zombie computers called Trickbot that Microsoft has already begun countering earlier this month. Even US Cyber Command has also taken action against Trickbot but analysts have claimed that criminals are attempting to spread Ryuk. 

Read - Afghanistan Claims Killing An Al-Qaida Leader Wanted By FBI

Read - FBI Joins Investigation Into Fatal Illinois Police Shooting