Cloak Strikes Virginia AGO: Ransomware Comedy of Errors Unfolds in Cyberattack Fiasco
Cloak ransomware group strikes again, this time targeting the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Their cyberattack took systems offline, pushing employees back to the Stone Age with paper court filings. Despite the chaos, Cloak’s attempt to extort the office didn’t pan out, leaving their leaked data just hanging on the dark web.
Hot Take:
The Virginia Attorney General’s Office might want to consider investing in more than just paper clips and post-its for their office supplies after this ransomware debacle. Imagine being thrown back to the Stone Age, or as the Cloak gang might put it, “The Paper Age.” While the AGO was busy dusting off their typewriters and scouring for carbon paper, Cloak was busy playing peek-a-boo with their data. Maybe next time, the AGO will keep their files as “cloaked” as their attackers’ identity.
Key Points:
- Cloak ransomware group claims responsibility for the attack on Virginia AGO.
- Systems, services, and website were down, leading to a return to paper processes.
- Cloak added Virginia AGO to its leak site, hinting at failed extortion attempts.
- Cloak’s ransomware utilizes ARCrypter based on Babuk ransomware code.
- Primarily targets small-medium businesses in Europe and Asia, with 65+ victims.