Recent reports have revealed the emergence of Swiftslicer, a destructive wiper malware, in Ukraine. This malware targets computer networks in order to cause wide-spread data loss, disrupting operations of its victims. This development is especially concerning as it marks the return of a similar attack that originated in Ukraine four years ago.
The Swiftslicer wiper malicious code was discovered by cyber security experts when it was used in an attack against a Ukrainian organization. The malicious actors behind this attack have not yet been identified, but the behavior and code of the Swiftslicer malware have similarities to that of NotPetya, a cyber attack that targeted computer networks in Ukraine in 2017. While the real-costs of the original attack is not fully known, the NotPetya attack is widely considered one of the most destructive and disruptive cyber threats of the last decade.
This new attack differs slightly in the way that it is designed to prevent victims from recovering their data. Rather than the data being encrypted and held for ransom, Swiftslicer wipes the data and leaves no trace of the malicious code behind. This destruction of the victim’s data makes it difficult, if not impossible, for them to recover their data and operations without outside help.
Swiftslicer not only affects the data, but also the productivity of the targeted companies as they must devote resources into recovering the data and rebuilding their systems and networks. This can take valuable time and resources away from day-to-day operations, and could lead to financial losses due to lost or delayed shipments, disrupted production, and data loss.
Due to the anonymous nature of the attackers, detecting and preventing the attacks is made even more difficult. Additionally, the ever-evolving nature of cybercrime means that malicious actors can quickly develop new ways of attacking computer networks, or build countermeasures to current cyber security systems, thus making detection and prevention of these types of attacks even more difficult.
Organizations and individuals should take steps to protect themselves from similar attacks. This includes regularly updating your system, using strong and secure passwords, using secure connections, avoiding clicking on links and downloading software from unknown sources, and always backing up sensitive data. Finally, keeping up to date on the latest cyber security news and updates can help keep your systems and data secure from malicious actors.
This Cyber News was published on www.welivesecurity.com. Publication date: Sat, 28 Jan 2023 04:17:02 +0000