California’s largest state worker union, SEIU Local 1000 which represents 96,000 California state workers, was affected by a ransomware attack. The union local posted details here:
As many of you are aware, on Thursday, January 18th, 2024, SEIU Local 1000 experienced a network disruption by an outside actor. As we investigated the incident we learned that it was caused by certain data being encrypted. We are aware of the discussion happening on social media about the type of attack we are purported to have had and the actor by whom it was apparently done. We are currently working with outside experts to ensure ongoing network security and assist and advise as we continue to restore our operations. This incident was a criminal cyber act and is being treated as such as we assist law enforcement.
As we continue to restore our systems and work through an ongoing forensics investigation, we are attempting to determine whether personal information may have been accessed during the incident. If so, we will notify all affected individuals by mail. The notification will include information about the incident and offer credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.
The usual sources that I go to have confirmed that this union local among others have been added to the LockBit site:
The attack apparently has exposed SSNs, home addresses, birth dates, etc, and it is suspected that they stole 306 GB of data.
Darren Williams, CEO and Founder, BlackFog had this to say:
“The attack on the California state worker union was a low blow by LockBit. State worker unions typically do not have the resources required to implement the latest security measures, making them a very easy target for cybercriminals. Unions typically get their funds from member dues to manage their operations, andit’s unlikely that allocating these resources to cybersecurity is a top priority.
However, unions, like all organizations, must think of cybersecurity as a worthwhile and business-critical investment, as the cost of a ransomware attack is much greater. Implementing technology that prevents ransomware and data exfiltration will go a long way in defending against cyberattacks and protecting members’ data. With the right cybersecurity measures in place, unions won’t have to weigh the option of using their resources to pay a ransom.”
Once again, I have to point out that we all have to step up and do everything possible to keep criminal groups like LockBit from carrying out attacks like these. Because until that happens, nobody is safe.
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This entry was posted on February 8, 2024 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Hacked. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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SIEU Local 1000 Pwned By LockBit
California’s largest state worker union, SEIU Local 1000 which represents 96,000 California state workers, was affected by a ransomware attack. The union local posted details here:
As many of you are aware, on Thursday, January 18th, 2024, SEIU Local 1000 experienced a network disruption by an outside actor. As we investigated the incident we learned that it was caused by certain data being encrypted. We are aware of the discussion happening on social media about the type of attack we are purported to have had and the actor by whom it was apparently done. We are currently working with outside experts to ensure ongoing network security and assist and advise as we continue to restore our operations. This incident was a criminal cyber act and is being treated as such as we assist law enforcement.
As we continue to restore our systems and work through an ongoing forensics investigation, we are attempting to determine whether personal information may have been accessed during the incident. If so, we will notify all affected individuals by mail. The notification will include information about the incident and offer credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.
The usual sources that I go to have confirmed that this union local among others have been added to the LockBit site:
The attack apparently has exposed SSNs, home addresses, birth dates, etc, and it is suspected that they stole 306 GB of data.
Darren Williams, CEO and Founder, BlackFog had this to say:
“The attack on the California state worker union was a low blow by LockBit. State worker unions typically do not have the resources required to implement the latest security measures, making them a very easy target for cybercriminals. Unions typically get their funds from member dues to manage their operations, andit’s unlikely that allocating these resources to cybersecurity is a top priority.
However, unions, like all organizations, must think of cybersecurity as a worthwhile and business-critical investment, as the cost of a ransomware attack is much greater. Implementing technology that prevents ransomware and data exfiltration will go a long way in defending against cyberattacks and protecting members’ data. With the right cybersecurity measures in place, unions won’t have to weigh the option of using their resources to pay a ransom.”
Once again, I have to point out that we all have to step up and do everything possible to keep criminal groups like LockBit from carrying out attacks like these. Because until that happens, nobody is safe.
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This entry was posted on February 8, 2024 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Hacked. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.