Top 5 biggest ransomware attacks in 2021

Cybersecurity issues are dominating tech news in 2021. A very common problem is ransomware. This seems to be one of the most worrying threats in 2021. Some experts even call 2021 "the year of ransomware."

Large businesses, NGOs, hospitals and government organizations fall victim to ransomware, resulting in massive financial losses, operational disruptions, privacy concerns, and major lawsuits .

While ransomware is not a new phenomenon, its global impact has reached new heights in 2021. This year's attacks have not only claimed the lives of companies and millions of corporations. but also affect the life of the community.

Here are some of the biggest ransomware attacks of 2021 so far, helping you identify trends and provide the insights you need to stay protected.

1. Colonial Pipeline

Earlier this year, the largest pipeline system for refined oil products in the United States, Colonial Pipeline Co., was the subject of a massive ransomware attack and the aftermath was even more dire.

The attack on the Colonial Pipeline was one of a kind, as it caused disruptions in gasoline and jet fuel supplies across the east coast of the United States. The attack was first identified on May 7, which is when supplies were disrupted and the company was unable to resume fuel supply until May 12.

The Colonial Pipeline attack was carried out by the notorious hacker group DarkSide, which is believed to be based in Russia. The attackers were able to get into the system through the company's virtual private network, using compromised usernames and passwords.

The cybercriminals managed to stop the operation of the damaged company, holding close to 100GB of sensitive and confidential data. They threatened to leak the information unless Colonial Pipeline agreed to pay about $5 million in ransom.

The company eventually paid the ransom, but damage still occurred and vulnerabilities in the largest, most influential organizations came to light.

2. JBS Foods

The world's largest meat producer was targeted in one of the world's largest ransomware attacks in 2021.

Earlier this year, JBS Foods USA - the company responsible for producing a quarter of the country's beef - was forced to suspend operations at all 13 of its processing plants across the US.

The attack threatens the country with severe supply shortages and potential disruptions in food supply networks, leaving grocers, farmers, restaurants and a number of related industries. other in danger.

Reportedly, JBS Foods, in consultation with IT and cybersecurity experts, decided to pay $11 million in Bitcoin, making it one of the largest ransoms ever paid. JBS Foods made this decision to minimize the impact of the attack and prevent further disruption.

The CEO of JBS USA expressed his concern and further explained the reasoning behind the decision to prepay the ransom. He said:

'This has been a very difficult decision for the company and for me personally, however, we feel this decision must be made to prevent any potential risk to our customers.

Investigations accuse Russia-based cybercrime group REvil of carrying out the attack. The group has also been accused of several other large-scale ransomware attacks across multiple industries and sectors.

3. Brenntag

Brenntag, a German-based chemical distribution company with operations in more than 77 countries, was hit by one of the largest ransomware attacks of 2021. The company's North American branch was hit by DarkSide, The ransomware group behind the Colonial Pipeline attack, targeted.

The attackers encrypted data and devices on the compromised network, eventually stealing around 150GB of data. DarkSide claims that they can launch the attack after accessing the network through acquired stolen credentials, which is an alarming aspect.

Ultimately, Brenntag agreed to pay approximately $4.4 million in ransom, after negotiating to reduce the amount from the $7.5 million initially offered, to restore operations and minimize disruption. further.

4. Acer

The first quarter of 2021 was a disaster for many companies, and the Taiwan-based hardware, software and services company was among the unlucky. Acer was also attacked by REvil, the cybercriminal gang that attacked JBS Foods this year.

Reportedly, attackers were able to take advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server to compromise Acer's security system. REvil was in possession of sensitive data and information, some of which was also uploaded to a website as evidence for the attackers.

Although Acer did not initially admit they were the target of ransomware, REvil did ask Acer to pay $50 million, which is one of the largest ransoms ever requested.

5. Kaseya

Florida-based software company, Kaseya, is the latest victim of a large-scale ransomware attack. The notorious REvil team is once again responsible for the attack, claiming to have encrypted over a million end-customer systems.

The CEO of the affected company claims the attack compromised between 800 and 1500 businesses globally. Assessing the true impact of an attack is even harder because most victims are end customers.

REvil originally asked for $70 million, but Kaseya claimed they 'didn't pay the ransom to get the decoder'.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 16 August 2021