Cyber ​​Center warns of massive ransomware attack

More specifically, CCP spokeswoman Andreas Bowmans explains that this is an attack on software used by companies of all kinds around the world for ICT management. All of these companies are now at risk of being hacked as the software has some vulnerabilities for hackers. The Cyber ​​Security Center has already asked all Belgian organizations working with Casey VSA to deactivate the system immediately.

According to Andreas Bowmans, it is difficult to predict how long such a cyberdock will last, but in general, the seller will provide a system update very quickly.

The attack began overnight from Friday to Saturday and has already affected at least 200 businesses around the world, including the United States. They are all clients of eight IT service providers targeted by the ransomware attack.

According to the CCP, this is a variant of the Rev ransomware. The Russian-affiliated hacker group Revil, last month launched a U.S. Meat processing company J.P.S. The company paid a $ 11 million ransom.

It is not entirely clear whether Belgian companies have also been affected. Antwerp-based ICT service provider IDX released a press release on Saturday claiming that it had been hit by an attack that allowed hackers to encrypt all data and emails from the company and its 50 customers. It is possible that the same attack. However, according to a company spokesman, the latter does not use targeted software.

The attack has been going on since yesterday / Friday. ITxx customers – mainly SMEs working in human resources, temporary employment agencies and service voucher companies – will not have access to their computer data or their backups.

Antwerp summoned the computer crime unit of the Federal Judicial Police and the cybersecurity firm Secutech. The information technology service provider reported the incident to the Data Protection Authority.

The company does not want to say whether they plan to pay the ransom, how much the hackers are demanding, or whether they are demanding cryptocurrencies. But IDXX says “they are asking for a bigger ransom, a hundred times more than is usually requested,” which expects the problems to last at least a few more days.