Agencies release updated guidance to combat Akira ransomware following recent attacks

A joint advisory issued yesterday by U.S. and international agencies provides updated guidance to defend against the Akira ransomware group, which has previously conducted cyberattacks against hospitals and health care organizations. Agencies said the group, known for attacking Cisco environments, was recently found to have expanded its tactics and techniques. As of late September, the group has claimed approximately $244 million from ransomware incidents. 
 
“Akira relies primarily on brute force attacks on virtual private networks without multi-factor authentication enabled to gain initial access, and then they exploit known vulnerabilities in victim systems,” said Scott Gee, AHA deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. “Hospitals should ensure that their VPNs are properly configured and that they are quickly addressing published common vulnerabilities and exposures.” 
 
For more information on this or other cyber and risk issues, contact Gee at sgee@aha.org. For the latest cyber and risk resources and threat intelligence, visit aha.org/cybersecurity.