When a breach goes from 25 paperwork to 1.3 terabytes… • Graham Cluley – Cyber Tech

Ouch.

On 7 March 2024, the UK’s Leicester Metropolis Council had its programs disrupted by a devastating cyber assault, forcing it to close down its IT programs and telephone strains.

Amongst these affected have been care house staff and the homeless.

By the top of March, the council was “not but capable of say” if any information had been breached in the course of the assault.

However on Wednesday April 3, Leicester Metropolis Council confirmed that about 25 paperwork had been shared on-line by attackers, together with folks’s confidential data.

Nasty stuff. And the council described the information breach as a “very severe matter.”

Nicely, sure, it’s severe if malicious hackers steal 25 paperwork.

However now we all know that Leicester Metropolis Council’s attackers didn’t restrict themselves to 25 paperwork. The most recent FAQ from the council reveals {that a} gobsmacking 1.3 terabytes of knowledge was stolen in the course of the information breach and printed on the darkish internet.

What has occurred and what has the council carried out to handle the incident?

Following the cyber incident on 7 March 2024, the ransomware group accountable has printed roughly 1.3 terabytes of knowledge.

We respect that this can be worrying and so we’ve got created the next FAQs.

What sort of data has been stolen?

We’re reviewing the information that has been printed, the earlier information launch consisted of paperwork together with hire statements, purposes to buy council housing and paperwork associated to this akin to passport particulars.

Because of the quantity of knowledge that has now been printed we can’t contact everyone who’s affected. We’re reviewing the information and shall be prioritising the folks at highest danger.

And Leicester Metropolis Council can’t rule out the chance that but extra information is likely to be leaked sooner or later.

If 25 paperwork stolen is “very severe,” I’m undecided the phrases exist to explain 1.3 terabytes of leaked information…

…or ought to I be saying 3 terabytes? As that’s what the ransomware gang claims it has stolen.

Discovered this text attention-grabbing? Observe Graham Cluley on Twitter, Mastodon, or Threads to learn extra of the unique content material we put up.