- The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Gmail users need to act urgently to avoid being hacked
- The FBI warned that a group known as Medusa is behind a new wave of ransomware attacks targeting various industries
- The agency has advised on what Gmail, VPN, and Outlook users must do urgently as more than 300 victims have been hit
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a serious warning to Gmail, VPN, and Outlook users about ransomware attacks.
According to the warning, there is a group of hackers spreading a ransomware virus which has already hit some people.
FBI insists Gmail users should take steps to avoid being hacked. Photo credit: Getty Images/gorodenkoff, SOPA Images and Sarayut Thaneerat.Source: Getty Images
The cybersecurity alert was also backed by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The alert states that a group, known as the Medusa ransomware gang, which has been active since 2021, is recently on the prowl.
The hacking gang is said to operate using a “ransomware-as-a-service” model, which means they can buy access to the tools they need to launch attacks, MARCA reports.
What the cybercriminals do is to steal sensitive data belonging to high-profile organisations and individuals.
After stealing the data, they demand payment and then threaten to leak the said data online if they are not paid ransom.
The criminal group has already targeted over 300 organizations in sectors such as healthcare, education, and technology.
They did their operations primarily through phishing and exploiting any vulnerability in the cyber infrastructure of their victims.
The Medusa hacking group are targeting organisations and individuals with ransomware, as Gmail users are told to enable two-factor verification. Photo credit: Getty Images/ NurPhoto.Source: Getty Images
How to avoid being hacked by Medusa cybercrime gang
To avoid falling victim, Gmail, Outlook and VPN users were advised by authorities to enable a two-factor verification.
Speaking to Forbes, Tim Morris, chief security advisor at Tanium, cybersecurity and systems management company said the impact of ransomware attacks could be far-reaching.
He said:
“Medusa is an apt name for this attack, considering its multi-faceted and far-reaching impacts on various industries.”
He said it is “crucial for organizations to manage their estates properly, know where their assets are, and ensure they have robust defense-in-depth mechanisms in place.”
Jon Miller, CEO and co-founder of Halcyon, told Forbes that the Medusa cybercriminals group focus on extorting its victims.
His words:
“Ransomware operators like Medusa focus on gaining leverage to extort organizations, making critical infrastructure entities prime targets due to their heightened motivation to maintain uninterrupted services. Once inside a network, Medusa employs sophisticated strategies to maximize impact. They also leverage legitimate remote access software including AnyDesk and ConnectWise, as well as tools like PsExec and RDP, to propagate across the network.”
Scientists share vital information about Mars
Meanwhile, TheTalk.NG also reported that Chinese and American scientists who are studying to know if Mars once had water bodies have made a discovery.
People like Elon Musk have always dreamed of sending humans to Mars and making it habitable like the Earth.
The Chinese robot known as Zhurong rover landed on Mars in 2021, and it has sent back information after penetrating the ground.
This is coming when many scientists are interested in knowing if Mars can support human life.
Source: TheTalk.NG
