blackbyte attacks Bud Griffin & Associates
Incident Date:
February 5, 2022
Overview
Title
blackbyte attacks Bud Griffin & Associates
Victim
Bud Griffin & Associates
Attacker
Blackbyte
Location
First Reported
February 5, 2022
BlackByte Ransomware Attack on Bud Griffin & Associates
Company Overview
Bud Griffin & Associates, a Local Vertiv Office (LVO), delivers a broad spectrum of critical solutions including power, thermal, and infrastructure management. Their services are designed to achieve significant outcomes for their clientele, spanning government, facilities, financial, and food & agriculture sectors. With five locations, they are committed to serving their customers effectively.
Vulnerabilities and Targeting
The BlackByte ransomware group, notorious for exploiting vulnerabilities such as those found in Microsoft Exchange servers, targeted Bud Griffin & Associates. The company's involvement in the critical infrastructure sector and the high value of their data likely made them an attractive target for the group.
Impact and Response
Upon encrypting files, BlackByte ransomware leaves a ransom note in every directory, demanding payment for decryption keys. Interestingly, some victims have reported the presence of partially encrypted files, which may allow for data recovery without succumbing to ransom demands. The response of Bud Griffin & Associates to this attack, including whether a ransom was paid or if data recovery was successful, remains undisclosed.
Mitigation Strategies
Organizations can mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks by implementing robust backup systems, conducting regular cybersecurity awareness training for employees, and vigilantly monitoring for vulnerabilities. Specifically, Bud Griffin & Associates should have addressed the ProxyShell vulnerability exploited by BlackByte, through patching or other mitigation efforts.
The BlackByte ransomware attack underscores the critical importance of cybersecurity within the infrastructure sector. It is imperative for organizations to adopt a vigilant and proactive stance in safeguarding their systems and data against cyber threats.
Sources
- Bud Griffin & Associates. (n.d.). Data Center Solutions & Services. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from www.bgasales.com
- Cybersecurity Alert. (2021, November 18). BlackByte Ransomware Group Attacked at Least Three Critical Infrastructure Companies and the San Francisco 49ers. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from www.cpomagazine.com
- Trend Micro. (2022, July 5). Ransomware Spotlight: BlackByte. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from www.trendmicro.com
- SOCRadar. (2023, May 2). Dark Web Profile: BlackByte Ransomware. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from socradar.io
Recent Ransomware Attacks
The Recent Ransomware Attacks (RRA) site acts as a watchtower, providing you with near real-time ransomware tracking of attacks, groups and their victims. Given threat actors’ overarching, lucrative success so far, ransomware attacks have become the most ubiquitous, and financially and informationally impactful cyber threat to businesses and organizations today.
The site’s data is generated based on hosting choices of real-world threat actors, and a handful of other trackers. While sanitization efforts have been taken, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of the data. Attack updates will be made as source data is reported by reputable sources. By viewing, accessing, or using RRA you acknowledge you are doing so at your own risk.