Recent cyberattacks in the United States on several federal institutions have raised worries about the security of government networks. The assaults took use of a security flaw in MOVEit Transfer, a popular file transfer program created by Progress Software.
The attack has been ascribed to the Clop ransomware group, which has begun publicizing the names of firms it claims to have compromised using the MOVEit weakness. This article will offer a summary of recent cyberattacks, their effect on government institutions, and the current mitigation efforts.
The MOVEit Breach and the Agencies Affected
Several US federal entities have been targeted by assaults leveraging the MOVEit Transfer vulnerability, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). While the actual number of agencies affected is unknown, the Department of Energy has verified that two of its businesses were compromised. Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico were recognized as these institutions. The incident possibly exposed the personally identifiable information of tens of thousands of people, including energy workers and contractors.
According to the Federal Data Procurement System, other federal agencies with current MOVEit contracts include the Army, the Air Force, and the Food and Drug Administration. However, it's unclear if these organizations were directly targeted or were impacted by the latest attack.
Efforts to Respond and Mitigate
CISA is working promptly with the affected agencies to determine the implications of the incident and guarantee rapid repair. According to CISA Director Jen Easterly, the intrusions seem to be opportunistic in nature and do not appear to be targeting particular high-value information or attempting to achieve persistence on targeted systems.
When the Department of Energy discovered that one of its organizations had been compromised, it took quick action to avoid additional exposure to the vulnerability and notified the incident to CISA. The department has also alerted Congress and is working with law enforcement, CISA, and the impacted organizations to investigate the occurrence and mitigate its consequences.
The Clop ransomware group, which is connected to Russia, has stated that all government data has been deleted and that no data would be extorted or disseminated. The exact scope of the damage and possible data exfiltration, on the other hand, is still being explored.
Conclusion
Multiple government agencies in the United States have been hit by recent assaults that exploited the MOVEit Transfer vulnerability. The breach has affected the Department of Energy and its affiliated companies, as well as other unnamed agencies. While the inquiry is underway, actions are being taken to minimize the consequences and safeguard the compromised systems. CISA, law enforcement agencies, and the affected organizations are working together to determine the scope of the breach and avoid repeat breaches.
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URL: https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/16/us-confirms-federal-agencies-hit-by-moveit-breach-as-hackers-list-more-victims/
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