Rhysida Gang Claims Ransomware Attack on Peru Government’s Systems

The cybercriminal group Rhysida ransomware claims to have hacked into Peruvian government systems and is demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars to release the stolen data.

The ransomware gang published multiple allegedly official governmental documents on its official dark web blog. The Peruvian government confirmed issues with its website but denied any evidence of a cyberattack, stating that maintenance caused the downtime.

Like most ransomware attacks, the information about this one is also minimal. There are many reasons for this, including efforts to prevent copycat attacks, active negotiations with the cybercriminals, and ongoing investigations. For now, all that’s available to the public is:

• https://satp.gob.pe/ was down for a limited time.
• The cybercriminal group Rhysida has claimed responsibility for breaching Peruvian systems and stealing data.
• Rhysida is demanding a payment of 5 Bitcoin (BTC) in exchange for the stolen data.
• The Peruvian government denied the cyberattack.

Unfortunately, ransomware is one of the biggest cyberthreats you should be looking out for, especially ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). Due to the nature of this type of attack, it’s paramount that you follow the best cybersecurity practices to prevent nefarious outcomes after a breach.

Cybersecurity essentials are even more crucial for businesses, given the potential damage that a data breach can cause. Companies typically store large amounts of data in their servers, and a breach can lead to legal repercussions, reputation damage, and significant financial losses, which can end in bankruptcy.