Where Did The Massive Cyber Attack Come From This Time? “There is something Weird About This One.”

iWB ^ | Pamela Williams

[davikkm]

So here we go again, but this time something is strange and different. Tuesday’s attack contained some puzzling elements to security experts, raising concerns that it may not have been about payment at all. the goal appeared to be “the destabilization of the economic situation and in the civic consciousness of Ukraine” even though it was “disguised as an extortion attempt.” Lets look at what some varied sources are saying.

DEFENSE ONE is saying, “The lesson from Tuesday’s massive cyber attack, beware of updates from Ukrainian accounting apps” that are orders of magnitude larger than normal.” I have no idea what that means exactly, but I am concerned about this virus hitting US hospitals. In such a case, you are talking about lives on the line. Heritage Valley Health Systems, a health care network that runs two hospitals in Western Pennsylvania, also confirmed in a statement to Recode on Tuesday that it was a victim of the same ransomware attack that has spread around the globe. At least one surgery had to be postponed because of the hack, according to a woman interviewed by Pittsburgh Action News 4.

More from DEFENSE ONE: A vulnerability within an obscure piece of Ukrainian accounting software is the root cause of the massive cyber attack that swept the globe Tuesday, according to the Ukrainian law enforcement. The attack hit Ukrainian utilities and airline services, U.S. based pharmaceutical company Merck, Russian oil giant Rosneft and even forced operators at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant to switch to manual radiation monitoring of the site.

[MeganC]

Here’s an interesting thought:

What happens when a cyber attack eventually takes the entire internet offline?

Imagine no email, no social media, no ATMs, no way to buy anything with a debit card or credit card...etc.

What then?

Just my two cents but we’ve made ourselves too dependent on this technology.

[bigbob]

I’ll talk Russia for $400 please Alex...

[RayChuang88]

The cyberattack that could take the entire Internet offline is a direct attack on a major Internet backbone provider. Imagine if someone could take down Level 3 Communications, who provides Internet backbone connections to much of the developed world; such an attack would essentially shut down all the major web sites around the world.

[MarchonDC09122009]

Exact motive for hack attack will likely remain speculation.

Here’s what’s known via latest update from Krebs:
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/06/petya-ransomware-outbreak-goes-global/#more-39734

The latest information about update:

1. It’s not Petya, although it may be by the author of Petya. It’s even being called “NotPetya”.

2. There is no kill switch, but the program checks for the presence of a file called “perfc” in c:windows. If the file is present, the ransomware at least does not run.

3. Posteo in Germany have closed the email account that was the sole point of contact for those infected. So now victims don’t have any hope of getting their files back unless they have a complete backup.

4. As well as ETERNALBLUE the authors are using a second NSA exploit, ETERNALROMANCE.

The panic is somewhat overdone unless of course you’re working for a large organisation with thousands of endpoints. The infection phase is almost certainly over now and it won’t spread outside infected networks.

See BleepingComputer for more info
1 – As Breaking News:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wannacry-d-j-vu-petya-ransomware-outbreak-wreaking-havoc-across-the-globe/

2. Posteo removes email account
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/email-provider-shuts-down-petya-inbox-preventing-victims-from-recovering-files/

3. Origin + Infection routine
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/petya-ransomware-outbreak-originated-in-ukraine-via-tainted-accounting-software/

4. “Vaccine”
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/vaccine-not-killswitch-found-for-petya-notpetya-ransomware-outbreak/

[thoughtomator]

> What happens when a cyber attack eventually takes the entire internet offline?

The Internet is designed to withstand a nuclear war - while it won’t function optimally it will still function even in the event of catastrophic damage.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Here’s what’s known via latest update from Krebs:”

So Maynard got into computer science? Work?

[meadsjn]

That will be the zombie apocalypse.

[themidnightskulker]

what if this is just a probe for an uncontrolled AI?

[Moonmad27]

My hospital system depends on one provider of a service, and it went down yesterday. At least we have downtime procedures but still a big problem.

[shanover]

A virus hitting an infrastructure’s network like a power grid,dam or 100 million EBT cards would be problematic. An EMP in theory can lay waste to the grid if placed in the right place in the atmosphere thus making most of the internet useless. We have known of these problems since the Cold War but there are other priorities besides keeping our society from going back to the 18th Century and most of the population dead within a year.

[MarchonDC09122009]

Pardon me Dr. Bogus, but who is “Maynard” that you’re referring to?

You do know who reporter Brian Krebs is as it pertains to IT Security news?

Do you have anything valuable and relevant to add to the latest non-Petya ransomware attack discussion?

RE: “So Maynard got into computer science? Work?”

[wku man]

"Just my two cents but we’ve made ourselves too dependent on this technology."

Okay, my nerd side comes out.

Anyone who watched the 2003ish version of Battlestar Galactica remembers how an integral part of the story was how the Cylons used cyber attacks to take out the Colonial fleet and the Colonial defense grid. All were shut down except for the Galactica, whose CO, Commander Adama, refused to network the ship or any of its Viper fighters or Raptor utility aircraft. Everything was hardwired, to include intra-ship communications. Therefore, it was the only carrier (Battlestar) still operating after the attack. Until the Pegasus showed up, but that's another, geekier conversation.

I too, believe we've become too dependent on technology and modern conveniences. I would like to think hospitals, fire departments, and police stations are ready to deal with cyber attacks, but then again, I read One Second After. Granted, that dealt with an EMP attack on our power grid, but the same principle applies. It was also fiction, but it gets one to thinking...modern electronic convenience is cool, but we'd better damn well have an old school backup plan for everything.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[themidnightskulker]

Maynard Krebs. portrayed by Bob Denver(Gilligan from Gilligan’s Island) was Dobie Gillis’ beatnik friend. (The Dobie Gillis Show)

[mjp]

Pardon me Dr. Bogus, but who is “Maynard” that you’re referring to?

Maynard G. Krebs. I am old enough to remember the Dobie Gillis show

[wku man]

Referring to Maynard G. Krebs, a lazy beatnick dude played by Bob Denver (Gilligan) on some dinosaur-old TV show from the 50s. Hated work.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[MarchonDC09122009]

Thanks for the Dobie Gillis reference detail!

[themidnightskulker]

Freepers are a veritable cesspool of knowledge ;^)

[pas]

You just unplug it and replug it.

[Flatus I. Maximus]

> What happens when a cyber attack eventually takes the entire internet offline?

Then — My God! — it will be like the 1970s all over again, and I, with my manual typewriter and my trusty slide rule, will rule the world!