Crisis in Colombia: Government Ministries Under Siege by Ransomware Attack! | Sep 15th, 2023
Channel: Hacking Space Frontier
Date: 2023-09-15

Multiple prominent government ministries in Colombia are grappling with the aftermath of a ransomware attack that has disrupted their operations. The attack targeted technology provider IFX Networks Colombia, impacting the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the country's Judiciary Branch, and the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported difficulties accessing crucial applications used for their mission and services on a national level due to the cyberattack. They are actively working on alternative solutions to continue serving the health sector while IFX Networks investigates the situation.

The Judiciary Branch, including the Supreme Court, faced a complete suspension of hearings from September 14-20 as a result of the attack on IFX. Their IT team discovered the attack on September 12, affecting the department's entire cloud infrastructure. Some in-person services and hearings may still take place if IFX restores services before September 20.

The Superintendency of Industry and Commerce, responsible for managing consumer rights and market competition, confirmed its own disruption due to the attack and suspended some operations.

While no ransomware group has publicly claimed responsibility, the RansomHouse hacking group, known for deploying various ransomware strains, is suspected to be behind the attack. The ransom note used in this incident resembles the one used in a recent attack on a Colombian healthcare provider, Keralty.

Colombia's President's adviser labeled the attack as one of the most significant infrastructure attacks in recent years and called for the creation of a National Agency for Cybersecurity and Space Affairs.

This incident in Colombia is part of a broader trend of ransomware attacks targeting government entities worldwide, with the U.S. National Security Council urging governments not to pay ransomware hackers in the same week as this attack.