Medusa Ransomware Group Strikes Women's Sports Foundation, Data Breach Exposed
Incident Date:
June 6, 2024
Overview
Title
Medusa Ransomware Group Strikes Women's Sports Foundation, Data Breach Exposed
Victim
The Women's Sports Foundation
Attacker
Medusa
Location
First Reported
June 6, 2024
Medusa Ransomware Group Targets The Women's Sports Foundation
Overview of The Women's Sports Foundation
Established in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King, The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the lives of women and girls through sports and physical activity. Headquartered in East Meadow, New York, the foundation employs 105 individuals and has grown to a $1 million endowment with an operating budget of $1 million. The WSF is renowned for its advocacy, research, community programs, and funding initiatives aimed at promoting gender equity in sports.
Details of the Ransomware Attack
Recently, the Medusa ransomware group claimed responsibility for compromising The Women's Sports Foundation. The attack resulted in the exfiltration and subsequent leak of 36.5 GB of sensitive data. This breach underscores the vulnerabilities faced by non-profit organizations, particularly those involved in advocacy and community services, which may lack the robust cybersecurity measures of larger corporations.
About Medusa Ransomware Group
Emerging in late 2022, Medusa is a ransomware group that operates as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform. The group has been involved in numerous high-profile attacks across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and government services. Medusa's ransomware is designed to disable applications and services, making detection and mitigation challenging. The group is known for demanding substantial ransoms and publicly releasing stolen data if their demands are not met.
Potential Vulnerabilities and Penetration Methods
Non-profit organizations like The Women's Sports Foundation are often targeted due to their limited cybersecurity resources. Medusa likely exploited vulnerabilities in the foundation's network, possibly through phishing attacks or exploiting unpatched software. The group's sophisticated tactics, including disabling shadow copies to prevent data recovery, highlight the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures even for non-profits.
Sources:
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