Cyber intrusion exposes personal information of 751,000 Frontier Communications customers
RansomHub, a notorious threat group, has been linked to approximately 45 cyberattacks globally since early February, according to an analysis by Forescout. One of the known victims of these attacks is Alpha Wellness and Alpha Medical Centre, a small medical practice in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA.
The attack on this medical practice resulted in the exposure of personal and medical information of 1,714 individuals, forcing the medical practice to close. As of the current search results, Alpha Wellness and Alpha Medical Centre is the only publicly confirmed RansomHub victim. There is no evidence of other RansomHub victims or a wider U.S. victim count from the search results.
In a significant development, RansomHub claimed credit for the attack on Frontier Communications earlier this month. Frontier Communications, a major provider of phone and internet services, is based in Dallas. The attack on Frontier Communications' IT network was detected on April 14 and the damage was contained by the company. The attack exposed the personal data of over 751,000 people to the Maine Attorney General.
The SEC filing by Frontier Communications did not provide details about the methods used by RansomHub in the cyberattacks it claimed responsibility for. However, it did state that the attack could be deemed material due to the disruption of its operations.
RansomHub is also connected to the Change Healthcare attack, which caused significant disruption to hospitals and prescription drug access across the U.S. However, like the Frontier Communications attack, the Change Healthcare attack was not expected to have a material impact on the affected company's financial results.
RansomHub operates as a ransomware as a service operation, as stated in a report by Symantec on Wednesday. It is worth noting that RansomHub is a rebranded version of Knight ransomware, according to Symantec's report.
Despite numerous attempts, officials from Frontier Communications were not immediately available for comment. The report by Symantec did not disclose any new information about the modus operandi of RansomHub or the ransom demands made in the attacks it was linked to.
| Victim | Location | Individuals Affected | Ransomware Group | |--------------------------------|----------------------|---------------------|------------------| | Alpha Wellness and Alpha Medical Centre | Alpharetta, Georgia, U.S. | 1,714 | RansomHub | | Frontier Communications | Dallas, Texas, U.S. | Over 751,000 | RansomHub |
As the investigation into RansomHub's activities continues, it is crucial for organisations to remain vigilant and implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect against such threats.
References: 1. Frontier Communications Discloses Cyberattack 2. Acadian Ambulance Service hit by ransomware attack 3. Sav-Rx Pharmacy hit by ransomware attack 4. Ahold Delhaize hit by ransomware attack
- The surge in ransomware attacks, such as the one reported on Frontier Communications, underscores the crucial role cybersecurity plays in protecting sensitive data.
- General-news outlets have been reporting an increase in ransomware attacks, with RansomHub operating as a service and being connected to cases like Alpha Wellness and Alpha Medical Centre, thereby highlighting the need for improved technology in this area to combat such crimes.
- The rising incidents of ransomware attacks, like the one experienced by Alpha Wellness and Alpha Medical Centre, underline the importance of crime-and-justice authorities collaborating with technology experts to better address and mitigate these increasingly prevalent cybersecurity threats.
