Virginia has emerged as the top state with the highest concern for cyber threats, with approximately 655 respondents out of 100,000 residents actively searching for keywords related to cybersecurity, according to data compiled by NinjaOne. Following Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, and New York secured the 2nd to 6th positions, with Colorado, Kansas, Washington, and Hawaii following suit.
The primary source of worry among citizens revolves around ransomware, which ranks as the most searched keyword, trailed by malware, elections, and espionage.
In another development, the cyber community is buzzing with news regarding Owens Group, a UK-based trucking company. The company’s data was reportedly published on the dark web by the LockBit Ransomware website, indicating a successful cyber attack. The company’s decision to refuse paying a ransom led to the exposure of sensitive information, including budget details, balance sheets, cash flow statements, tax information, bank statements, passport scans, contracts, and the contact details of clients, employees, and contract staff.
A unique case in the history of cybersecurity involves Vikas Singla, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a US Network Security firm, Securolytics. Singla admitted to breaching the computer networks of two hospitals associated with Gwinnett Medical Centre in May 2018. His motive was to divert business to his company by stealing information and pressuring the victims. Following numerous hearings and prosecutions, Singla faces 17 counts of intentional criminal damage to digital assets, potentially resulting in a 10-year jail term and significant fines by the year’s end. He has also agreed to pay $817,000 with interest since 2019 to Northside Hospital Gwinnett in Lawrenceville and the Ace American Insurance Company.
Lastly, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), known for its research in Green Energy, Nuclear Power, and cybersecurity, fell victim to a massive data breach. The attackers targeted the laboratory’s Oracle HCM System, used for Human Resource operations, leading to the exposure of email addresses, dates of birth, contact numbers, social security numbers, physical addresses, and over 45, 000 current and former employee information. Further details on this cyber-attack are pending.
