Dell said on Nov. 28 that it “detected and disrupted” unauthorized activity on its network on Nov. 9 that aimed to steal Dell.com customer information including names, email addresses, and hashed passwords, but not credit card or other sensitive data. Dell said “it is possible” that some data was stolen, but that “our investigations found no conclusive evidence that any was extracted.” Dell said its security measures in place–including hashing of customer passwords and a mandatory Dell.com password reset–are in place to limit the impact of any potential data disclosure. The company also said it has hired an digital forensics firm to conduct an independent investigate, and also has “engage law enforcement.”
DoJ Indicts Two Iranians for Ransomware Attacks
The Justice Department on Wednesday announced the indictment of two Iranians for creating and deploying “SamSam” ransomware software in attacks against numerous U.S. targets including the cities of Atlanta and Newark, N.J., the Port of San Diego, the Colorado Department of Transportation, LabCorp of America, MedStar Health, and the Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital.
The defendants–Faramarz Shahi Savandi and Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri–hacked and extorted more than 200 victims and extracted from them more than $6 million in “criminal proceeds,” DoJ said, in adding to causing $30 million of financial losses to the victims because they were unable to access data.
Neither of the defendants have been apprehended, and remain “fugitives from justice,” said Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general.
“This case demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to identifying and prosecuting cybercriminals, wherever they choose to base their operations,” Rosenstein said. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners, here in the United States and around the world, along with victims, to gather evidence and build cases to ensure there are no safe havens for cybercriminals to operate.”
