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.
[...]
--
Subscribe to InfoSec News
https://www.infosecnews.org/subscribe-to-infosec-news/
https://twitter.com/infosecnews_
