Just a few days ago, the infamous gang that runs the ransomware Rhysida has intensified its activities, also reaching out and targeting entities in the European context.
We are talking about the town of Gondomarsuburb of Porto about 20 minutes from the Portuguese city. Last September 27, the center was the victim of a massive cyber attack which forced municipal officials to take their digital structure offline, then alerting the authorities of the incident. The government said some municipal services will be disrupted while experts work to resolve the situation.
Officials clarified on Monday 2 October that all online services offered by the government will be offline for a week, but residents will be able to go to offices in person to pay bills, obtain permits and undertake other paperwork. The following Friday, the municipality reported that its email systems were still downmaking contact between institutions and residents difficult.
According to the cybersecurity expert Dominic Alvieri, the Rhysida ransomware gang claimed responsibility for that attack. To prove this, cybercriminals have shared some passports and other financial documents presumably stolen by the municipality during the operation.
After Chile, Kuwait and Martinique, the Rhysida ransomware arrives in Portugal
The gang behind Rhysida recently made headlines in the United States for their devastating attack on the Prospect Medical Holdingswhich operates 16 hospitals in several states and was forced to reroute ambulances following the accident.
Cybercriminals have also previously attacked targets in Chile, Kuwait and the Caribbean island of Martinique. Despite this, the attack on Gondomar represents the first real attack on European territory. In addition to the attack on Gondomar, the group has already announced another attack onImmigration Agency of the Dominican Republic, which manages the country’s immigration system.
The collective is named after a species of centipede and was first spotted in May 2023. Despite this, it is still a relatively unknown and mysterious gang.
