Effingham County Schools Hit by RansomHub Ransomware Attack
Incident Date:
August 1, 2024
Overview
Title
Effingham County Schools Hit by RansomHub Ransomware Attack
Victim
Effingham County Schools
Attacker
Ransomhub
Location
First Reported
August 1, 2024
RansomHub Ransomware Attack on Effingham County Schools
Effingham County Schools, located in Georgia, has recently fallen victim to a ransomware attack orchestrated by the notorious group RansomHub. The attack, which occurred on July 18, 2024, was initially disclosed on the district's website but has since been removed. However, an archived version of the site confirms the details of the incident.
About Effingham County Schools
Effingham County Schools serves as the primary educational institution for students in Effingham County, Georgia, offering a comprehensive K-12 educational program. The district is known for its commitment to academic excellence, character development, and community engagement. It operates several elementary, middle, and high schools, providing a range of educational services tailored to meet the needs of its diverse student population. The district emphasizes innovative instructional programs and maintains low student-to-teacher ratios, contributing to above-average student performance.
Attack Overview
The ransomware attack on Effingham County Schools was claimed by RansomHub via their dark web leak site. The district's website, www.effinghamschools.com, initially disclosed the cyberattack but later removed the announcement. The attack has raised concerns about the district's cybersecurity measures and the potential impact on its operations and data security.
About RansomHub
RansomHub is a relatively new ransomware group that has quickly made a name for itself in the cyber threat landscape. Believed to have roots in Russia, RansomHub operates as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group, with affiliates receiving 90% of the ransom money and the remaining 10% going to the main group. The group has targeted various countries, including the US, Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam, without following a specific pattern. RansomHub's ransomware strains are written in Golang, a language choice that reflects a growing trend in the ransomware world.
Penetration and Vulnerabilities
While the exact method of penetration used by RansomHub in the Effingham County Schools attack is not publicly detailed, common vulnerabilities in educational institutions include outdated software, insufficient cybersecurity training, and inadequate network security measures. These factors can make schools attractive targets for ransomware groups looking to exploit weaknesses in their systems.
Sources
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.