California’s 911 services have been hit by a ransomware attack, disrupting emergency dispatch systems in parts of Southern California.
The DragonForce cyber incident, which occurred on June 16, has impacted police and fire emergency services in several cities including Manhattan Beach, Culver City, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, Hawthorne, and Gardena. The South Bay Regional Public Communications Authority (SBRPCA) confirmed these disruptions.
This ransomware attack is part of a worrying trend, with ransomware incidents doubling over the past year. Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI to target hospitals and other critical facilities, stealing sensitive data and demanding hefty ransoms.
Just recently, the same group targeted Yakult Australia, allegedly stealing 95GB of data from the company’s IT systems in Australia and New Zealand. They also claimed to have stolen over 400GB of data from Coca-Cola Singapore.
DragonForce’s largest reported heist was in December 2023, when the group attacked the Ohio Lottery, stealing more than 1.5 million employee and customer records, totaling 90GB of data. This attack impacted approximately 538,000 individuals, as reported by Data Breach Today.
In a related cyber threat, an urgent warning has been issued to all 1.46 billion iPhone users after tech experts uncovered a new attack targeting Apple IDs.
Cybercriminals are using SMS phishing campaigns, sending messages that appear to be from Apple and prompting users to visit a link concerning an ‘important request’ about iCloud. The links lead to fake websites designed to steal Apple ID information. California-based Symantec discovered this attack and has warned users to be vigilant.
In addition, a cyberattack has severely disrupted hospital computer systems across five states, forcing some emergency rooms to close and ambulances to be diverted. The ‘data security incident’ began on August 4, 2023, at facilities operated by Prospect Medical Holdings, which has hospitals and clinics in California, Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. Many primary care services remained closed as security experts worked to assess and resolve the issue.
The FBI has issued a warning that America’s hospitals are increasingly under cyberattack. According to the FBI’s latest internet crime report, nearly 1,200 organizations were affected by ransomware in 2023, with 250 of those incidents involving medical groups. This makes the healthcare sector the most targeted among 16 sectors.
The consequences of such attacks can be dire, as Americans have been blocked from receiving lifesaving medication, and in one tragic case, a nine-month-old baby lost her life due to a cyberattack.
