Hello there! I have some news that I think you need to hear about, especially if you work in healthcare or cybersecurity. Grab a cup of tea, don’t worry I’ll wait…settled? Good! Now, I’ve recently come across some rather shifty dealings in the murky depths of the internet.
A group of individuals referring to themselves as the “Black Suit” seem to have targeted an American school system, Rutherford County Schools in Tennessee, to be precise. It’s a case that’s as baffling as a plateful of eels! On their website, the group announced that they have attacked the school system, but provided no substantial evidence or details of what they procured.
Now, you’d imagine if a hacker group managed to nab sensitive information, they’d be shouting about it from the rooftops (or, in this case, displaying it proudly on their webpage). But that didn’t happen in this instance – no screenshots, no files, no proof. Cue the general confusion among us chaps following the story. The digital breadcrumbs lead us nowhere as the listing on their page remains, suggesting the disputed ransom was never coughed up. Ever tried getting answers from a silent entity? Me neither, but I imagine it’s as futile as talking to a brick wall.
Just when you think things can’t get more mysterious, the same school was attacked again! This time, it was a hacker group called Rhysida stirring the online pot. In a rather distressing fashion, the group leaked a significant amount of sensitive information on both students and employees of the school system, including things like health records, home study reports and personal identification numbers.
Just picture it now, you’re a parent, student or employee whose personal details are being thrown around like confetti on the internet. That’s the sort of thing that can really bring on the jitters, wouldn’t you say? Even if the data is in somewhat inconvenient formats for the cyber villains, someone’s entire life involves a great risk if a clever clogs hacker gets hold of it.
Unfortunately, our American cousins aren’t quite safe just yet. Whilst regulations protect the privacy of education records, these laws don’t require the school to inform parents, students or staff if their private details have been compromised. So, even if your data has been nabbed by some undesirables, you may very well be none the wiser.
Here’s a note to anyone finding themselves in this sticky situation – it might be wise to freeze your credit report, check for suspicious activity and consider changing any passwords. My, oh my, what a technological rigmarole it all seems to be!
As for Rutherford County Schools, the cat was finally out of the bag in late November when they first noticed a disruption in their system. They’ve since called in the cybersecurity cavalry to try and get to the bottom of this tangled web.
And that, dear reader, is our dive into the sometimes rather bewildering world of cybercrime. So as you go about your day, be sure to stay vigilant and keep those private details locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Scary, I know! But, with a bit of common sense and a keen eye for anything fishy, I’m sure we’ll be alright in the end. Chin up!
by Parker Bytes
