Did Kiwi Cloud Storage Firm Fall Victim To Malware Attackers?

Summary

• FBI cautions NZ firm Mega on its cloud storage services used by ransomware attackers.
• So far, Mega.NZ has not got any clue of hackers, yet it did not entirely dismiss the FBI’s warning.
• Microsoft’s Windows Sysinternals website and pCloud’s services also being used by hackers, as per the FBI.

Auckland-domiciled cloud storage firm has been cautioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of possibly being misused by cyberattackers.

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What is the Cloud storage company’s take on the alert?

The company, Mega.NZ, has not been able to trace any clue of its services being exploited by the malware attackers.

Mega.NZ has not detected that its storage services were being misused for storing personal information of individuals admitted in Waikato hospitals, whose IT systems have been attacked by hackers a fortnight ago.  

However, Mega is not denying the possibility of its services being misused by the hackers for the Waikato DHB cyberattack.

To date, the workforce is reeling under its effect and carrying out its work in very difficult situation.

Ministry of Health on Waikato’s malware attack

As per the speculations, the Ministry of Health has recognised the malware named Zeppelin used by the cyberattackers in disrupting Waikato DHB.

The health ministry has not come up with any update about the cyberattack so far.

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FBI has been alerting Mega since 2020

There have been several alerts circulated by the FBI mentioning Mega since 2020.

Mega’s name again popped up in the latest cyberattack sabotaging Waikato DHB. Out of two cloud storage services that the malware attackers, and the hackers misused, the one related to health is named as Mega’s cloud services.

Other Companies under FBI’s scanner

Microsoft’s Windows Sysinternals website has also come under the radar, and hackers are being doubted to use it, as per the FBI. The website aids in handling, troubleshooting, and analysing the Windows app. 

As per the FBI, the other Company’s services used by the cyberattackers is pCloud.

The Switzerland-domiciled organisation is a cloud storage solution provider, which has more than 13 million consumers.

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Malware attacks around the world

Last month, the FBI had cautioned around 16 Conti ransomware attacks aiming at the US healthcare and the law enforcement groups. Last year, a total of 400 companies were struck by Conti at the global level. 

Darkside, identified as a Russian cyberattacking unit, caused disruption of crucial fuel pipeline in the US for many days. The Colonial Pipeline’s IT department was the victim of the attack and affected its daily work.

Similarly, in mid-May 2021, the Health Service Executive in Ireland shut down its IT services

following a massive Conti ransomware attack. The malware attackers also asked for a ransom amount of around £14 million for re-instating the IT system.

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Convention of Cybercrime To tackle the growing menace?

In February this year, Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, Dr David Clark, notified that the NZ Government was getting associated with the Convention of Cybercrime.

It is the first global agreement with more than 65 nations tackling the computer crime by the co-ordination of national laws, and enhancing investigation methods, etc. 

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi opined that the frequency of cybercrime had been growing every year. All hands-on deck is required to deal with cybercrime, which implies international cooperation since the cyberattackers mostly operate from overseas.