The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), a sector inside the Division of Justice, has been hit with what it describes as a “main” ransomware (opens in new tab) assault, during which delicate worker knowledge might need been taken.

Division spokesperson Drew Wade confirmed the incident, which he stated happened on February 17, was a “ransomware and knowledge exfiltration occasion affecting a stand-alone USMS system”.

That system has since been disconnected from the broader USMS community, whereas the group investigates the aftermath. Apparently, worker knowledge was taken, along with delicate knowledge on the division’s work. 

Unknown risk actors

“The affected system accommodates legislation enforcement delicate data, together with returns from authorized course of, administrative data, and personally identifiable data pertaining to topics of USMS investigations, third events, and sure USMS staff,” Wade stated.

BleepingComputer reported that sources “near the incident” confirmed the attackers didn’t entry the division’s Witness Safety Information Info System – the witness safety database. 

Because the investigation continues, different particulars are scarce. At this second, it’s unknown which group is behind the assault, how a lot cash they’re demanding in alternate for the decryption key, or how they managed to infiltrate the USMS programs. 

What we do know is that this isn’t USMS’ first cyber-incident. Again in 2020, BleepingComputer reminds, the division uncovered the small print of greater than 380,000 former and present inmates, together with their names, birthdays, postal addresses, and Social Safety numbers. 

Within the incident, the attackers managed to breach considered one of USMS’ public-facing servers known as DSNet. These servers have been dealing with the housing and motion of prisoners, the report stated.

Legislation enforcement organizations within the States are sometimes within the crosshairs of malware operators. Only a week in the past, it was reported that the FBI suffered a cyberattack during which a New York Discipline Workplace laptop system, utilized by the FBI to analyze circumstances of kid sexual exploitation, was compromised. 

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Through: BleepingComputer (opens in new tab)