After attacking one of Canada’s largest children’s hospitals on December 18, The group responsible for the LockBit ransomware decided to offer the organization a free decryptor.. The program allows you to recover full access to the compromised files.
Offer approved by Market (1) Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), works in the city of Toronto. The free provision of a decryption tool for files blocked in the cyber attack was accompanied by an apology.
operators lock bit They were also said to have blocked the “partner” running the malicious campaign for violating the group’s rules, according to security researcher Dominic Alvieri. It is worth noting that the organization has a network of affiliates whose job is to find targets that will compromise their systems and demand ransom payments.
SickKids is aware of the disclosure from a ransomware group offering a decryptor to restore systems affected by the cybersecurity incident that occurred on December 18. Read more: https://t.co/clU1IqK7Qh pic.twitter.com/H9S4ERgih7
— SickKids_TheHospital (@SickKidsNews) January 1, 2023
Meanwhile, the main operation keeps the ransomware used in the virtual attacks up and running, earning them about 20% of the amount paid to restore access to the files. Despite everything, The group claims it does not allow cyberattacks on medical institutionsespecially if they are putting lives at risk.
History of attacks on hospitals
Although the LockBit group claims it does not use ransomware in targeted attacks on healthcare facilities, the organization has a history of invading institutions in the region. And in these other cases, the affected companies were not sent a free decryptor.
For example, last year a The French hospital was targeted by the malicious tool, and the cybercriminals demanded $1 million in ransom., equivalent to R$5.3 million at the day’s quotation. Patient information was leaked after the institution did not pay.
On Cyber attack on SickKids hospitalThe agency, which has caused delays in diagnosis and treatment, said it is working with cybersecurity experts to verify the use of the free decryptor. To date, access has been restored to about 60% of the system.
Source: Tec Mundo
