Ransomware gang Qilin today claimed responsibility for a November 2024 cyber-attack against North Platte Natural Resources District in Nebraska. Although it didn’t disclose what data was compromised, it does recommend victims take precautions to protect their identities and SSNs from abuse.
In a blog post reporting this news, Paul Bischoff, Consumer Privacy Advocate at Comparitech, wrote:
“Qilin is a ransomware group that began claiming responsibility for attacks in late 2022. Also known as Agenda, Qilin is a Russia-based hacking group that mainly targets victims through phishing emails to spread its ransomware. It launched in August 2022 and runs a ransomware-as-a-service business in which affiliates pay to use Qilin’s malware to launch attacks and collect ransoms.”
“Qilin has claimed responsibility for 58 confirmed ransomware attacks since it began, 12 of which were against government entities. They include attacks on the city of West Haven, CT; the Palau Ministry of Health and Human Services; the Cleveland, OH Municipal Court; and the town of Bedford, MA.”
“In 2025 so far, Qilin has claimed 12 confirmed ransomware attacks, plus another 128 unconfirmed claims that haven’t been acknowledged by the targeted organizations. Comparitech logged 92 confirmed ransomware attacks against US government entities in 2024, and 14 in 2025.”
“Ransomware attacks on US government agencies and departments can both steal data and lock down computer systems. The attacker then demands a ransom to delete the stolen data and in exchange for a key to recover infected systems. If the target doesn’t pay, it could take weeks or even months to restore systems, and people whose data was stolen are put at greater risk of fraud. Ransomware can disrupt everything from communications to billing, payroll, and online services.”
Additionally, the researchers at Comparitech today released a report looking at all the confirmed and unconfirmed ransomware attacks of Q1 2025. I covered that in this story.
The Biggest Corporate Scams of the Last 25 Years
Posted in Commentary with tags VPNMentor on April 10, 2025 by itnerdThe research team at vpnMentor, explored the most notorious corporate scams of the last 25 years, which includes names like Lehman Brothers, FTX, Boeing, PayPal, Google AdSense, and examine who fell, who endured, and who managed to profit despite their wrongdoing.
Key findings at a glance:
Ultimately, these scandals serve as reminders of the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership in business. They underscore that while some may profit in the short term, the long-term costs of dishonesty often outweigh any gains.
You can access this report here: https://www.vpnmentor.com/blog/biggest-company-scams-research/
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