Summary:
On 16 June, Swiss charity entity Radix was hit by ransomware from the Sarcoma gang, a cyber gang that has been linked with double extortion. The gang published leaked data on its dark web site on 29 June.

Radix said it had closed off access to compromised systems, and there was no data loss since there were backups in place. It is not yet known how the intrusion was carried out, and an investigation is being conducted in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office for Cybersecurity.

Whereas Radix initially indicated that no sensitive partner data had been breached, this was contested by the Swiss federal administration that acknowledged that federal offices that employed the services of Radix could potentially have information breached. Authorities want to know what departments and datasets were affected. Interestingly, the attackers did not directly invade federal IT networks due to Radix having no backend access.

Two of Radix's services, StopSmoking and SafeZone, were not impacted because they are hosted on different infrastructure.

Radix responded with a public warning to be cautious against phishing because the compromised data can be used by fraudsters who pose as banks or authorities in an effort to obtain credentials or money information.

Security Officer Comments:
Ransomware attacks are an ongoing problem. We here at the IT-ISAC track and provide analysis of attacks on a regular basis, making organizations aware of current threats, attack vectors, and sectors being targeted. By providing timely intelligence and fostering collaboration between members, we aim to improve collective defenses, response capabilities, and reduce the impact of cyber attacks across critical infrastructure and industry sectors. Our commitment is to ensure that member organizations are not only aware of emerging trends in ransomware but also have actionable intelligence with which to proactively mitigate risks.

Suggested Corrections:
Backup your data, system images, and configurations, regularly test them, and keep the backups offline: Ensure that backups are regularly tested and that they are not connected to the business network, as many ransomware variants try to find and encrypt or delete accessible backups. Maintaining current backups offline is critical because if your network data is encrypted with ransomware, your organization can restore systems.

Update and patch systems promptly: This includes maintaining the security of operating systems, applications, and firmware in a timely manner. Consider using a centralized patch management system; use a risk-based assessment strategy to drive your patch management program.

Test your incident response plan: There's nothing that shows the gaps in plans more than testing them. Run through some core questions and use those to build an incident response plan: Are you able to sustain business operations without access to certain systems? For how long? Would you turn off your manufacturing operations if business systems such as billing were offline?

Check your security team's work: Use a 3rd party pen tester to test the security of your systems and your ability to defend against a sophisticated attack. Many ransomware criminals are aggressive and sophisticated and will find the equivalent of unlocked doors.

Segment your networks: There's been a recent shift in ransomware attacks – from stealing data to disrupting operations. It's critically important that your corporate business functions and manufacturing/production operations are separated and that you carefully filter and limit internet access to operational networks, identify links between these networks, and develop workarounds or manual controls to ensure ICS networks can be isolated and continue operating if your corporate network is compromised. Regularly test contingency plans such as manual controls so that safety-critical functions can be maintained during a cyber incident.

Train employees: Email remains the most vulnerable attack vector for organizations. Users should be trained on how to avoid and spot phishing emails.

Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA): External-facing assets that leverage single-factor authentication (SFA) are highly susceptible to brute-forcing attacks, password spraying, or unauthorized remote access using valid (stolen) credentials. Implementing MFA enhances security and adds an extra layer of protection.

Link(s):
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...an-it-worker-laptop-farm-scheme-in-16-states/

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/just...nationwide-actions-combat-north-korean-remote