A fisheries management organization for the East Coast is dealing with a cyber incident following claims by a ransomware gang that it stole data.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission - an 80-year-old organization created by Congress and made up of officials from the Atlantic coast states - said this week that its email system is down.
The organization was forced to create a temporary email address and provide a phone number people can use to contact the information.
A screenshot of the organization's website on Tuesday.
On Monday, the 8Base ransomware gang added the organization to its leak site, giving officials four days to pay an undisclosed ransom.
The group claimed it stole invoices, personal data, contracts and more.
The ASMFC coordinates the conservation and management of nearshore fish species, as well as habitat conservation efforts and law enforcement initiatives.
Its website hosts a trove of fisheries management data and an archive of documents related to the body's work.
A similar U.S. government commission tasked with managing the lake and river systems along the border between the U.S. and Canada was attacked by another ransomware gang in September.
8Base is a relatively new ransomware gang that ramped up its activity in the summer of 2023.
VMware found deep ties between 8Base and RansomHouse - a platform cybercriminals use to sell stolen data and extort victims.
The researchers also found similarities between 8Base and the Phobos ransomware.
The group has previously been implicated in attacks on a Canadian agency that administers dental benefit plans for disabled people in Alberta.
A new report on ransomware attacks targeting the agriculture industry found that 8Base was one of the most prolific groups targeting the sector.
Food and agriculture sector hit with more than 160 ransomware attacks last year.
Jonathan has worked across the globe as a journalist since 2014.
Before moving back to New York City, he worked for news outlets in South Africa, Jordan and Cambodia.
He previously covered cybersecurity at ZDNet and TechRepublic.
This Cyber News was published on therecord.media. Publication date: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:55:05 +0000