Octapharma Plasma Pauses Operations Nationwide Due to Ransomware Attack

[MrBig 5429]

Octapharma Plasma has closed 150+ centers nationwide due to a suspected ransomware attack after “suspicious activity” was detected on their network.

All of their centers have been closed since Wednesday afternoon. For a plasma center to be closed this long is unheard of. Plasma centers stay open through ice storms, snow storms and floods, so being down for almost 7 days means their network was severely compromised. Every single donor SSN is in their system. 

https://abc30.com/amp/octapharma-plasma-pausing-operations-all-sites-donating/14696735/

[crash_davis 23114]

No honor among thieves.

[Armybrat 40878]

16 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

No honor among thieves.

One would think with all the resources in this country we could track those scumbags down and kill them.

Edited April 23 by Armybrat

[Bevo 13596]

Is this the company run by Otto Octavious?

[crash_davis 23114]

I can semi understand hitting every company except humanitarian/hospital/public health places. There's being a dick and then there's being a absolute scumbag. 

[crash_davis 23114]

Cyber security is an after thought for most companies, especially the small and midsized ones. They don't have the expertise or the money to spend to educate/train, prevent, and solve these ransomware attacks. 

Cyber security is all cost. When trying to maximize profits and margins, shit like cyber security is a bare minimum effort. 

Edited April 23 by crash_davis

[Armybrat 40878]

There should be a collective effort to establish a centralized security system these smaller companies could tap into at minimal cost. 
It should also be a non-taxable entity and even count as a tax deduction..

[crash_davis 23114]

7 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

There should be a collective effort to establish a centralized security system these smaller companies could tap into at minimal cost. 
It should also be a non-taxable entity and even count as a tax deduction..

Cyber security is not just about the firewall and the IT infrastructure. You have to CONSTANTLY educate and train employees not to click on bullshit emails/attachments and not fall for bullshit help desk/password reset calls. Even then, it's sometimes hope and pray.

We have a big budget for cyber security training. We have mandatory quarterly training to teach people about bullshit emails and NOT TO FUCKING CLICK ON THE LINKS AND ATTACHMENTS. The team routinely sends out test emails to test employees. The same motherfuckers repeatedly fail the test emails. Our CEO even failed a test email once.

Edited April 23 by crash_davis

[Steel Shank 9430]

cold blooded

[Armybrat 40878]

We get dozens of those bullshit email scams every day, even a few supposedly from old high school classmates (“Ann posted some new photos “).

I never click on that crap.

[crash_davis 23114]

Apropos this thread. 

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/cyberattacks-rise-includes-small-businesses-109532762

According to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, the median cost per ransomware attack — which features a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid — more than doubled over the past two years to $26,000.

That's partly because there has been a dramatic increase in ransomware attacks, which represent 24% of all breaches.

Small businesses should first have a plan in place to prevent cyberattacks. The human element is the cause of 74% of breaches, so owners should make sure all of their employees use safeguards such as two-factor identification to make it harder to be hacked. Requiring employees to regularly change their passwords can also help.