Ransomware Attack on JE Owens & Company: A Small Accounting Firm's Cybersecurity Challenge
Incident Date:
April 19, 2024
Overview
Title
Ransomware Attack on JE Owens & Company: A Small Accounting Firm's Cybersecurity Challenge
Victim
JE Owens and Company
Attacker
Play
Location
First Reported
April 19, 2024
Ransomware Attack on JE Owens & Company by Play Group
Company Profile
JE Owens & Company, based in Orlando, Florida, is a small accounting firm with a team of 7 employees and an annual revenue ranging up to $1M. Specializing in accounting services, the firm offers expertise in business consulting, tax preparation, and financial planning. The company is known for its personalized service, focusing on tax savings and CFO services for small businesses. The firm is led by Jack Owens, who has over 25 years of experience in the field.
Details of the Attack
The Play ransomware group, a known cybercrime entity targeting Linux systems, has claimed responsibility for the attack on JE Owens & Company. The attack was announced on the group's dark web leak site. According to the group, they have exfiltrated 204 GB of sensitive data, including personal data, financial records, contracts, and NDAs.
Vulnerabilities and Target Selection
The company's small size and industry sector make it a potential target for ransomware attacks. Small businesses often have limited cybersecurity resources and measures, which can make them vulnerable to such attacks. Additionally, as an accounting firm, JE Owens & Company handles sensitive financial data, making it a lucrative target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit such information for ransom.
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.