LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Targets Church of Sweden
Incident Date:
May 7, 2024
Overview
Title
LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Targets Church of Sweden
Victim
The Church of Sweden
Attacker
Lockbit3
Location
First Reported
May 7, 2024
Ransomware Attack on The Church of Sweden
Victim Profile
The Church of Sweden (Svenska Kyrkan) is an Evangelical Lutheran national church headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden. It is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest Lutheran denomination in Europe, and the third-largest in the world, with around 5.4 million members. The Church conducts a wide range of religious, educational, and social activities, primarily financed through a membership fee paid by church members.
Industry Standing
The entity is known for its progressive stance on various issues, including its approach to biblical interpretation and its involvement in social and environmental issues through its investment policies. It also provides psychosocial support to communities through its Community-Based Psychosocial Support (CBPS) approach, focusing on mental health and psychosocial needs in emergency settings.
Company Vulnerabilities
The organization's buildings and overseas parishes, along with its significant financial resources, may have made it an attractive target for threat actors like the LockBit 3.0 ransomware group. The organization's involvement in various activities and its large membership base could have provided avenues for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities in its systems.
Ransomware Group Distinction
LockBit 3.0, also known as LockBit Black, is a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group that has been actively recruiting affiliates and targeting a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure organizations. It is considered one of the most dangerous and disruptive ransomware threats currently active, with advanced features like file encryption, desktop modifications, and lateral movement through networks.
LockBit May Attacks
This ransomware attack on The Church of Sweden is part of the May 2024 attacks by LockBit 3.0. The cybercriminal group resurfaced following the disruption of its infrastructure in February during "Operation Cronos." Despite law enforcement efforts, LockBit swiftly returned, targeting over 50 victims within hours of reactivating its platform, showcasing its global reach and adaptability.
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.