ransomware News

Georgia County’s Experience Shows Perils of Ransomware

JEFFERSON, Ga. — On the first Saturday in March, computer screens at the 911 dispatch center in this small town went dark. Staff at the county jail around the same time could no longer open cell doors remotely with electronic …

Viewpoint: Scrutiny Undermines Argument that Cyber Insurance Encourages Ransomware

As the cyber insurance market continues to grow, it’s only natural to discuss its place in the battle against cyber-attacks, including ransomware, which has been a prevalent topic in recent months. Over the last several years, the cyber insurance market …

Survey Suggests Ransomware Broadening Perceptions of Cyber Risks

Corporate risk managers are increasingly focusing on protecting their enterprises from business interruption after a series of ransomware attacks on government agencies highlighted the peril of losing access to their computer networks, according to a survey released by Zurich Insurance …

An Insurance Insider’s View of Municipal Ransomware Claims

The ransomware attacks on public entities in Texas, Florida, Maryland, Georgia and elsewhere this year have raised questions not only about paying ransoms but also about the role of insurance in helping these targets get back to serving the public. …

Ransomware Attack Hits More than 20 Texas Local Governments

DALLAS — More than 20 local governments in Texas were targeted in a coordinated ransomware attack of unprecedented size on Friday, but several of the cities had resumed normal operations by Tuesday, state officials said. The Texas Department of Information …

U.S. Cyber Agency Says Reducing Risks From China Top Priority

A newly created U.S. cybersecurity agency said Thursday that China represents the greatest strategic risk to the U.S., and as a result, the agency’s top operational priority is reducing the risks from Chinese compromises to the global supply chain, including …

Business News: Phyn, Envista Forensics, GuideOne and Stategos

Phyn Retailing Smart Water-Leak Detector Phyn announced the release of a water-leak detector that sends alerts to consumer’s smart phones, which will be available for sale in Best Buy stores for $299 starting next month. Phyn, based in Torrance, California, …

Cyber Risks to Exceed Natural Disasters for Insurers: Scor CEO

Cyber risks will soon become bigger risks than natural catastrophes for the insurance sector, Scor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Denis Kessler said, recommending the industry build a comprehensive, common global scale to assess cyber-related incidents. “I dream of a …

RIMS Speakers Offer Guidance on Preparing for Disaster

BOSTON — Preparing for the unthinkable requires a lot thought. Risk management professionals on Monday cautioned audiences of the myriad pitfalls in planning for catastrophes during the Risk & Insurance Management Society’s annual conference at the Boston Convention and Exhibition …

FBI Reports Cybercrime Losses Nearly Doubled in 2018

The amount of reported losses from cyber crime nearly doubled in 2018 to $2.7 billion, with almost half of that from business email schemes that targeted wire transfer payments, according the FBI’s 2019 Internet Crime Report. The report, prepared by …