Ransomware Hacking Threats for 2023

2023 is here…Hooray! Everyone is happy to experience another year – Another milestone on this journey called life.

With the new year comes the good, the bad, and the ugly. And 2023 will be even worse for businesses as hackers become more sophisticated with their hacking attacks.

2022 is quickly vanishing in our rear view mirrors. However, we can all agree that it was a challenging year with some devastating ransomware attacks on businesses.

2022 Most Infamous Ransomware Hacks

2023 will arguably be another year for the high bounty lucrative ransomware attacks, where hackers dominated the news headlines with some of the most daring virus attacks.

Cyber security breaches have become a way of life for criminal hackers because they have profited from being paid millions in ransom from businesses whose private networks had been hacked.

Some ransomware attacks that cost small, medium, and large companies millions of US dollars in ransom are listed below.

DarkSide $5 Million Ransomware

April 2021: Colonial Pipeline came under a devastating ransomware attack. The hack on the gas company records as one of the major hacking attacks carried out by dark web hackers.

The US company reported over 100 gigabytes of private information stolen. Above all, the criminal hackers demanded US 5 million dollars to return the stolen information. The threat to release the stolen data publicly if the ransom was not paid, prompted the breached company into action.

Within a few hours, the oil company paid the ransom and averted the catastrophe. In addition, the ransomware hack caused Colonial Pipeline to shut down its service for six days, which was a massive blow to the company’s operation.

Cyber security analysts reported that the DarkSide hackers were responsible for the ransomware launched on Colonial Pipeline. Notably, the gas company is the major USA fuel distributor with 50 percent delivered to eastern USA states.

REvil $11 Million Ransomware Attack

Memorial Day 2021: JBS Foods is the largest beef supplier to many countries. The company found itself in the cross hairs of dark web hackers in 2021. JBS Foods network became the victim of a ransomware attack that cut off its services to American consumers and as far away as Australia.

The disruption of the world’s largest meat production company, which mainly supplies the United States and Australia, cost the brand a whopping US $11 million. 

REvil hackers were responsible for the JBS ransomware hack. Further disruption averted with full payment from JBS Foods. 

July 4, 2021 Weekend: American Independence day. Stars, stripes, Covid19, and a crippling ransomware attack punctuated the much revered celebration.

The Kaseya network got hijacked by ransomware. The Managed Service Provider (MSP) services went offline when it felt the crippling wrath of a furious hacking attack launched by the REvil dark web hackers. 

REvil hackers accessed the company’s network through its Kaseya VSA tools. Reportedly, 1500 Kaseya clients became infected with the REvil ransomware. 

The VSA tool is popular with Information Technology professionals that work on computer databases. With the Kaseya VSA tool in hand, the dark web hackers controlled and interrupted Kaseya’s network.

The ransom asked by the hackers remains a mystery. However, Kaseya had its private servers, desktop computers, and other network devices infiltrated by the REvil ransomware.

The FBI averted that disaster by accessing REvil servers and obtaining the decryption keys. Turning the tables on the dark web hackers, the FBI released a universal decryptor in September 2021. 250 REvil ransomware victims used the publicly released decryptor to free their network system from the devastating ransomware.

BlackMatter Ransomware Hack

September 20, 2021: BlackMatter dark web hackers disrupted the New Cooperative Inc., services by hijacking its website with ransomware. 

The company that provides food for animals states that the BlackMatter ransomware disrupted the feeding schedules of the animals.

According to the company’s release, the untimely disruption affected its food supply chain; it is responsible for 40 percent of the USA grain production.

Above all, the Cybersecurity Advisory AA21-291A launched between CISA, the FBI, and the NSA tracked the BlackMatter hacking group, which reportedly rebranded from the DarkSide hackers after the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.

2023 cyber security hacks will start punctuating the headlines soon. However, companies that operate on the World Wide Web can protect themselves from these criminal hackers. The best cure is prevention. Therefore, it is highly recommended to hire a hacker that can keep your private information out of the hands of criminal dark web hackers.