Ransomware Attack on Valley Land Title Co.

Incident Date:

May 24, 2024

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Overview

Title

Ransomware Attack on Valley Land Title Co.

Victim

Valley Land Title Co.

Attacker

Lockbit3

Location

McAllen, USA

Texas, USA

First Reported

May 24, 2024

Ransomware Attack on Valley Land Title Co.

Company Overview

Valley Land Title Co. is a real estate title insurance company based in McAllen, Texas. They have been in operation since 1919 and have 51-200 employees. The company is known for its commitment to excellence in title insurance products and services, customer-centric approach, and convenience in accommodating customer schedules by staying open on Saturdays.

Attack Overview

Valley Land Title Co. has recently fallen victim to a ransomware attack by the LockBit 3.0 group. The details of the attack have not been disclosed by the group, but it is known that the attack has impacted the company's operations and data security.

Ransomware Group Profile

The LockBit 3.0 ransomware group is an evolution of the LockBit group, known for its advanced and dangerous ransomware threats. LockBit 3.0 encrypts files, modifies filenames, changes desktop wallpapers, and drops ransom notes on victims' desktops. The ransomware is heavily obfuscated and protected against analysis, making it challenging for security researchers to study.

Company Vulnerabilities

Valley Land Title Co. may have been targeted by threat actors due to the sensitive nature of the data they handle in real estate transactions. The company's valuable information, such as property ownership details and financial transactions, could be attractive to cybercriminals seeking to extort ransom payments.

How the Attack Could Have Penetrated

The ransomware group may have gained access to Valley Land Title Co.'s systems through phishing emails, unpatched software vulnerabilities, or weak remote desktop protocol (RDP) configurations. Once inside the network, LockBit 3.0 could have moved laterally through the network via group policy updates and covered its tracks to evade detection.

Sources:

Recent Ransomware Attacks

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