Ransomware's Next Victim: Law Firms - ThreatAdvice
Order in the court! There's a new strand of ransomware terrorizing law firms. This ransomware, known as Maze ransomware, surfaced at the end of 2019, and has continued to infect firms today. In the past, Maze ransomware was responsible for the stolen data from large municipalities, but a recent string of attacks on law firms has emerged. Five U.S. law firms have been hit by this ransomware, and three of those were within a span of 24 hours at the beginning of February 2020.
The goal of Maze ransomware is to steal and encrypt data by using emails with malicious attachments. The hackers then threaten the firm; if they don’t pay the ransom, the hackers will release the stolen data on a public site viewable to all. Maze hackers have been infecting networks on a global scale. A French government cybersecurity agency recently published a Maze alert noting that a hacking group that had already attacked German government agencies and U.S. tax professionals, was the source of these attacks on law firms. Many of these attacks have been disguised as government agency impersonators or other credible organizations.
Law firms house very sensitive data and should take immediate action to ensure they are prepared for these attacks. Unfortunately, many firms leave cybersecurity to the IT department, and which can lead to vulnerabilities in non-technical employee security. While technical precautions can be made, they can’t always stop these infected emails from penetrating the firm’s network. Firms must educate their staff to display awareness in defending against malicious emails. Firms should also implement policies and procedures to ensure that all employees are compliant in cybersecurity.
Maze attacks seem to be increasing each month. Law practices are just one of many industries that have been affected by this form of ransomware. It’s important that every safety measure is taken to protect valuable data and assets within an organization. One accidental click can spell disaster for the entire firm.
If you have suspicion of a breach or have reason to believe your firm has been targeted by ransomware, call the ThreatAdvice Incident Response Team at 1-800-600-9891. NXTsoft’s onsite security experts will navigate you through this process and restore your normal operations. Our experts will minimize your business disruption and maximize your cybersecurity.
Law Firms that want to take control of their security without increasing their headcount should consider NXTsoft’s ThreatAdvice vCISO. This overarching solution can reduce your firm’s security burden while overseeing all aspects of data and cybersecurity