Clearly must be time for more sanctions relief.
Iranian government-backed hackers were behind an attempted hack of the Boston Children’s Hospital computer network last year, FBI Director Christopher Wray alleged Wednesday, calling it “one of the most despicable cyberattacks I’ve ever seen.”
The FBI was able to help thwart the hackers before they did damage to the hospital’s computer network, according to Wray, but he cited it as an example of the potential high-impact hacking threats that the US faces from the governments of Iran, Russia, China and North Korea.
“We cannot let up on China or Iran or criminal syndicates while we’re focused on Russia,” Wray said in a speech at Boston College.
There’s no obvious reason to hit the hospital, but some hacking groups are looking for any substantial targets of opportunity. This was around the time of the massive Fortinet leak and it might just have been a matter of being able to hit a big vulnerable target.
But Iran, like other rogue nations, is also launching ransomware attacks. Ransomware hacks, which are used to demand cryptocurrency payoffs, are a useful method for sanctioned nations like North Korea, Russia, and Iran to get money.
Microsoft has detailed the activities of six Iranian hacker groups that are behind waves of ransomware attacks that have arrived every six to eight weeks since September 2020.
Russia is often seen as the home of the biggest cyber-criminal ransomware threats, but state-sponsored attackers from North Korea and Iran have also shown a growing interest in ransomware.
Microsoft said Iranian hacking groups are using ransomware to either collect funds or disrupt their targets, and are “patient and persistent” while engaging with their targets – although they will use aggressive brute-force attacks.
The timing would have been about right.
The Boston Children’s Hospital incident was one of several that prompted a public warning last November from the FBI and other agencies that Iranian government-backed hackers were targeting a range of organizations across the transportation and health care sectors.
Why transportation and health care? They’re critical and therefore more likely to pay out. Also they’re poorly secured. That makes them easy marks.
For now, we haven’t faced a rally catastrophic hack like Costa Rica’s health care system did, but the growing dependency on online data solutions and health care in the cloud means that we could effectively see the shut down of a lot of medical care with the right kind of attack. That’s the ridiculous pathway we’ve gone now. And it’s something we need to rethink.Microsoft has detailed the activities of six Iranian hacker groups that are behind waves of ransomware attacks that have arrived every six to eight weeks since September 2020.
Russia is often seen as the home of the biggest cyber-criminal ransomware threats, but state-sponsored attackers from North Korea and Iran have also shown a growing interest in ransomware.
Microsoft said Iranian hacking groups are using ransomware to either collect funds or disrupt their targets, and are “patient and persistent” while engaging with their targets – although they will use aggressive brute-force attacks.
The timing would have been about right.
The Boston Children’s Hospital incident was one of several that prompted a public warning last November from the FBI and other agencies that Iranian government-backed hackers were targeting a range of organizations across the transportation and health care sectors.
Why transportation and health care? They’re critical and therefore more likely to pay out. Also they’re poorly secured. That makes them easy marks.
For now, we haven’t faced a rally catastrophic hack like Costa Rica’s health care system did, but the growing dependency on online data solutions and health care in the cloud means that we could effectively see the shut down of a lot of medical care with the right kind of attack. That’s the ridiculous pathway we’ve gone now. And it’s something we need to rethink.
somehistory says
It’s a form of terror and that is what the rulers of iran are all about…terror and causing it every way, and everywhere they are able.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, the government is focused on its enemies…Americans who legally own guns.
a
Listening to Tucker< who read a post by someone on twitter who pointed out that the gov is arming its allies ukraine and attempting to disarm its opponents russia we know where that puts American citizens.
And since bobiden is doing all he can to help iran….that shows how much he they…view iran as a threat
JOHN L SCHARF says
The Democratic Party has perverted our media, denies us our self-evident inalienable rights, and intent on imposing collectivism on our citizens. FACEBOOK is allergic to the truth.
NOTE: It goes against FB Community Standards on “hate speech” to state:
Muhammadanism will kill Jews because even bushes won’t hide them?
Muhammadanism murders pagans daily?
Muhammadanism dehumanizes women?
Muhammadanism made pedophilia its cornerstone?
gravenimage says
Yes–too often social media considers daring to tell the truth about Islam to be “hate”.
mortimer says
Certainly a targeted attack against a children’s hospital would be one the most egregious of war crimes.
Only Shi’ites (the masters of taqiyya and chicanery) could imagine that such a crime would be justifiable.
I take no pleasure in saying this: ‘Never trust a Shi’ite … they are taqiyya-meisters’. I’m sure many former Shi’ites agree with that.
gravenimage says
Mortimer–with respect–I don’t think that Sunni Islam is any better.
mortimer says
This cyber attack comes from a 14-century-long tradition of Muslim hostage taking for ransom!
People need to remember that Miguel Cervantes was held for ransom by the Turks and North African Muslims. The only way that we have his masterpiece ‘Don Quixote’ is because he was ransomed.
tgusa says
“Iranian government-backed hackers were behind an attempted hack of the Boston Children’s Hospital computer network last year,”…Children.
Of course they did, the dishonorable cowards that they are.
proudlyislamophobic says
To the author: you are repeating yourself. Edit what you write more carefully.
gravenimage says
So you have no problem with targeting a children’s hospital, but believe that the critic of this plot is too wordy in condemning it? Priorities…
gravenimage says
Iran Plotted Cyberattack on Boston Children’s Hospital
………………
A cyberattack *on a children’s hospital*?
God, I hate Islam.