Iranians Hacked US Companies, Sent Ransom Demands To Printers, Indictment Says (arstechnica.com) 12
Three Iranian nationals charged with hacking into US-based computer networks sent ransom demands to the printers of at least some of their victims, according to an indictment unsealed today. The ransom demands allegedly sought payments in exchange for BitLocker decryption keys that the victims could use to regain access to their data. The three defendants remain at large and outside the US, the DOJ said. From a report: "The defendants' hacking campaign exploited known vulnerabilities in commonly used network devices and software applications to gain access and exfiltrate data and information from victims' computer systems," the US Department of Justice said in a press release. Defendants Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi, Amir Hossein Nickaein, "and others also conducted encryption attacks against victims' computer systems, denying victims access to their systems and data unless a ransom payment was made." The indictment in US District Court for the District of New Jersey describes a few incidents in which ransom demands were sent to printers on hacked networks. In one case, a printed message sent to an accounting firm allegedly said, "We will sell your data if you decide not to pay or try to recover them." In another incident, the indictment said a Pennsylvania-based domestic violence shelter hacked in December 2021 received a message on its printers that said, "Hi. Do not take any action for recovery. Your files may be corrupted and not recoverable. Just contact us."
The real crime (Score:4, Insightful)
The defendants' hacking campaign exploited known vulnerabilities in commonly used network devices and software applications to gain access and exfiltrate data and information from victims' computer systems
Translation: US companies too stupid and cheap to keep their computers secure, should be sued for damages by customers.
Re:The real crime (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Translation: US companies too stupid and cheap to keep their computers secure, should be sued for damages by customers.
The fact that the lock on your back door was one that was easy to jimmy open does not mean that burglars breaking the lock and stealing your stuff are not breaking the law.
Re: The real crime (Score:3)
I read it the same way.
The bank left the front door and vault open over the weekend, yet deny any responsibility for the theft.
This is like backups. It's not important until it's too late. Then the management morons throw a hissy fit and look for someone else to blame.
Sounds like a good plot for a Hollywood movie (Score:2)
And as the grand finale, the company employees go crazy on the printer like in Office Space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:2)
And as the grand finale, the company employees go crazy on the printer like in Office Space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
PC LOAD LETTER??!? Die Muthaf*cka, Die Muthaf*cka!
Ransom (Score:3)
Not a problem (Score:2)
My printer [free-images.com] appears to be unaffected.
Commonly used software applications? (Score:3)
The Iranians couldn't collect the ransom though (Score:2)
Describe a ransomware attack... (Score:1)