The city of Lakewood, Washington, has found itself in the clutches of the infamous ALPHV ransomware group. The US state has reportedly failed at negotiating the ransom deals with the threat actor, and in response, the ALPHV ransomware group has claimed to steal 300GB of sensitive data from the city council.
Despite Lakewood’s efforts to negotiate with the cyber criminals, ALPHV stated that due to a misunderstanding, the talks have failed. The stolen data was made public on BlackCat’s website as a warning to other organizations.
“All important information in the amount of 300gb was stolen. Because of their misunderstanding and inability to negotiate, we share information with you. You should not work with them, their structure is also not protected, and the vulnerability has not been fixed. Companies that will be subject to attacks related to them should sue”, reads the post by the threat actor.
The leaked data, consisting of 300GB of documents, could have dire implications for Lakewood. This brazen attack highlights the increasing threat of ransomware attacks on municipalities and organizations, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive information.
The Cyber Express team has reached out to the City of Lakewood, but we have yet to receive a response from them. However, considering the attack phase, the City of Lakewood might take some time to recover.
BlackCat ransomware group threatens legal action against the City of Lakewood
The BlackCat ransomware group, notorious for using the Rust programming language and responsible for many ransomware attacks in 2022, has issued a stark warning to organizations worldwide.
In a blog post, the group claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on a healthcare provider in Pennsylvania. It targeted the City of Lakewood in Washington, urging those affected to take legal action against the municipality.
BlackCat’s attacks are not limited to any specific industry or region, making them a significant threat to organizations worldwide.
The group has been linked to numerous high-profile attacks, including those on the Five Guys fast food chain and the Pennsylvania-based healthcare provider mentioned in the previous question.
Furthermore, BlackCat’s tendency to leak stolen data publicly, as demonstrated in Lakewood’s case, further exacerbates their attacks’ impact.
The leaked data, including sensitive and confidential information, can have far-reaching consequences for affected individuals and organizations.