Ransomware Attack on The Township of Union Public Schools

Incident Date:

May 16, 2024

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Overview

Title

Ransomware Attack on The Township of Union Public Schools

Victim

The Township of Union Public Schools

Attacker

Lockbit3

Location

Union, USA

New Jersey, USA

First Reported

May 16, 2024

Ransomware Attack on The Township of Union Public Schools

Victim Overview

A public school district based in the USA, The Township of Union Public Schools, was recently targeted by the cybercrime group LockBit 3.0 using ransomware. The attack compromised their website leading to the leakage of sensitive data such as financial information and invoices.

Company Profile

The Township of Union Public Schools is a public school district that focuses on strengthening children, families, and communities through its Community Schools program. They provide education services to students in the community.The district has been recognized for several outstanding achievements, including honoring exceptional employees like Flute Ngo, the 2024 Support Employee of the Year, and Joe Redmond, the OCA Region 7 Athletic Director of the Year.The exact size of the company is not explicitly mentioned in available sources. However, according to Zoominfo, the company size falls between 1,001-5,000 employees.

Company Vulnerabilities

Being in the education sector, The Township of Union Public Schools may be vulnerable to cyber attacks due to the sensitive nature of the data they handle, including student records and financial information. Additionally, the reliance on digital systems for remote learning and administrative purposes can expose them to potential threats.

Attack Details

The ransomware attack by LockBit 3.0 on The Township of Union Public Schools resulted in the compromise of their website, leading to the exposure of financial data, invoices, and other sensitive information. The attack likely disrupted their operations and posed a significant threat to the security and privacy of the school district's data.

Ransomware Group Overview

LockBit 3.0, also known as LockBit Black, is a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group that has evolved from the previous LockBit versions. It is considered one of the most dangerous and disruptive ransomware threats currently active, with advanced features and capabilities that make it challenging for security researchers to analyze. The ransomware group is known for its ability to move laterally through a network via group policy updates and delete traces of itself to cover its tracks. The ransomware group operates under a RaaS model, allowing other cybercriminals to utilize their malware for attacks, making it a widespread threat to organizations globally.

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.