Ransomware Attackers Have Code to Halt Critical Infrastructure
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Cyber attackers who hold a victim’s system hostage by encrypting its data until their demands are met may be laying off “big game” in the U.S., but they’ve been working on code that could threaten a lot more real-world damage against those they do choose to target, according to a joint advisory from the FBI and domestic and international partner agencies. The FBI has observed that several ransomware groups have developed code designed to stop critical infrastructure or industrial processes. As OT and IT have become increasingly intertwined to create greater efficiency of industrial control systems, the sector has become a frequent target of ransomware perpetrators and other malicious actors. One high-profile example of the kind of damage cyber adversaries can do by manipulating OT came last year when an attack attempted to change the chemicals in a Florida water treatment plant to levels that would be unsafe for the community it serves. The ransomware business model that has allowed for large scale commoditization of exploits has only continued to advance over last year.
(Source: NextGov)
