The FBI’s disruption of the Hive group’s operations in January offered a rare boost of optimism in the ongoing fight against ransomware rings. Sometimes the good guys win.
But just two months later, the LockBit group’s high-profile attack on SpaceX, via its contractor Maximum Industries, is bringing us right back down to earth. Ransomware is an ongoing—and omnipresent—threat.
LockBit to Elon Musk: Pay Up or Else
It reads like a movie plot: Hackers target the world’s richest man and demand ransom in exchange for keeping his secrets. Only it isn’t a movie. It’s real life. The LockBit group—a prolific ransomware gang responsible for more than 1,000 attacks, has reportedly attacked SpaceX contractor Maximum Industries and obtained thousands of SpaceX blueprints. If Musk doesn’t pay up, the group said, addressing him personally, they’ll release them all on the dark web.
A Stark Reminder for All
This particular attack is garnering attention because the victim is Elon Musk. But ransomware is everywhere. FortiGuard Labs is tracking nearly 11,000 ransomware variants among a whopping 150,000 detections … every week. And most attacks are on small and medium businesses, not the pet projects of billionaires.
Talking With Your Clients
High-profile events offer opportunities to reinforce discussions with clients. Here are some talking points that may help you along:
- Chats with foot draggers: We’ve been talking about your company’s need for protection for a long time. The new attack on Elon Musk and SpaceX is gaining lots of attention, but most attacks are on companies like yours. What can we do to get you started with [endpoint protection or other solution you’ve been pitching]?
- Chats with partly secured clients: With ransomware in the headlines again thanks to the attack on Elon Musk and SpaceX, I’d be remiss if I didn’t nudge you about rounding out your protection with [solution]. You’re almost fully protected. Let’s finish the job so we don’t have to worry about threats like these.
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Check-ins with well-protected clients: Perhaps you saw the ransomware attack on Elon Musk SpaceX. Most attacks go unnoticed because they don’t involve high-profile targets. But there are thousands of them. You were smart to protect your company.
More Resources
Need an action plan to cover with clients? Check out 5 Ransomware Protection Strategies to Implement Now.