Why High-Profile Hacks Could Increase Amid Pandemic-Prompted Remote Work

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/how-pandemic-related-remote-work-could-lead-an-increase-high-profile-hacks-1294980

By Ashley Cullins
The Hollywood Reporter
May 18, 2020

Hackers are threatening to release a treasure trove of private data stolen from 
one of Hollywood's top talent law firms if it doesn't pay a $42 million ransom 
— and experts say companies are increasingly vulnerable to attacks like this 
because their employees are working remotely during the novel coronavirus 
pandemic.

Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks earlier this month was hit by a ransomware 
attack — with a group called REvil taking responsibility for the hack and 
posting online part of a Live Nation employment contract for Madonna's recent 
world tour as proof that they stole 756 gigabytes of data. On Thursday, the 
group released documents pertaining to Lady Gaga in retaliation for the firm's 
refusal to pay the initial $21 million ransom. It says from now on it will 
auction off one person's file each week, beginning with Madonna's on May 25. 
(The group is also threatening to release harmful information related to 
President Donald Trump, but he's never been a client of Grubman Shire.)

The firm, which also reps the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Usher and Priyanka 
Chopra Jonas, said in a Monday statement to The Hollywood Reporter that it's 
working closely with law enforcement and its clients have been overwhelmingly 
supportive.

"The leaking of our clients' documents is a despicable and illegal attack by 
these foreign cyberterrorists who make their living attempting to extort 
high-profile U.S. companies, government entities, entertainers, politicians and 
others," a spokesman for the firm said. "We have been informed by the experts 
and the FBI that negotiating with or paying ransom to terrorists is a violation 
of federal criminal law. Even when enormous ransoms have been paid, the 
criminals often leak the documents anyway."

Since the novel coronavirus pandemic began shutting down physical offices 
across the country in mid-March, countless employees have been working from 
home. The mix of societal distraction, stress and blurred lines between 
personal and company equipment is a recipe for cybersecurity disaster.

[...]

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