Death Kitty ransomware appears to hit South African ports
South Africaâs port and rail company appears to have been targeted with a strain of ransomware that cybersecurity experts have linked to a series of high-profile data breaches likely carried out by crime gangs from Eastern Europe and Russia.
The hackers left a ransom note on Transnetâs computers, seen by Bloomberg News, claiming they encrypted the companyâs files, including a terabyte of personal data, financial reports and other documents. The note instructed the firm to visit a chat portal on the dark web to enter negotiations.
Shipping containers sit stacked at Transnet port in Johannesburg. Credit:Bloomberg
Transnet spokeswoman Ayanda Shezi didnât answer multiple phone calls and WhatsApp messages seeking comment. A probe into the motive for the attack is still underway, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said in a statement on Wednesday.
The cyberattack on July 22 caused the company to declare force majeure at container terminals and switch to manual processing of cargo. Transnetâs Durban port alone handles more than half of the nationâs shipments and is the main gateway for other commodity exporters including Zambia and Congo. The disruption follows deadly protests in South Africa earlier this month that also interrupted operations.
The Transnet ransom note was similar to others seen in recent months, according to cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. It is linked to ransomware strains known variously as âDeath Kitty,â âHello Kittyâ and âFive Hands,â said Adam Meyers, vice president of intelligence at Crowdstrike. Those strains have been observed this year targeting Polish video game maker CD Projekt and exploiting security vulnerabilities in SonicWall products.
Many organisations still donât have a robust cybersecurity risk management policy, and that means âindustries like logistics and critical infrastructure are vulnerable to attack,â said Lisa Donnan, a partner at cyber investment group Option3Ventures.
Thereâs also a global shortage of cybersecurity workers as incidents are increasing along with the average ransom price rising to $US200,000 from $US5000 in 2018, she said.
Transnet made for a âripe targetâ because its ports are critical to the country and the broader region, Donnan said in an email.
AdvertisementâUnfortunately, many organisations find out after an attack that cybersecurity is a business issue not an IT issue,â she said.
The location and identity of the Transnet hackers is unclear. Meyers said they were likely of Eastern European or Russian origin, where many ransomware groups are based.
Some advertise their exploits online and use forums on the dark web to hire hackers to work with them, but the gang associated with âDeath Kittyâ and its variants have kept a lower profile, according to Meyers. âWe have not observed any recruitment or selling of anything consistent with this ransomware, so it is either a closed group or a private service that doesnât advertise.â
Transnet has fully restored operations at the nationâs ports after reinstating its automated terminal-operating system. Other systems are being brought up in a staggered manner, Gordhan said.
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