Alert FBI issues critical warning to all Gmail and Outlook users

Do you use Gmail or Outlook at work? The federal government is warning private organizations to take extra precautions to protect themselves from ransomware attacks.

The statement, published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to prevent such cyberattacks. By issuing advisories about hacker tactics, the DHS helps organizations plug holes in their digital security.

This week, the DHS released an advisory about Medusa ransomware after the FBI began investigating incidents involving this variant. Since June 2021, the FBI has identified over 300 victims across various industries, including healthcare, education, and manufacturing.

How Medusa gains entry

According to the FBI, Medusa primarily gains entry through phishing campaigns and exploiting “unpatched software vulnerabilities,” including the “ScreenConnect vulnerability” and the “Fortinet EMS SQL injection vulnerability.”

Phishing attempts are the primary concern for Gmail and Outlook users, as these attacks aim to steal data and infiltrate organizations' private systems. Phishing emails are an extremely common method for hackers to gain entry. StationX reports that around 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent each year, highlighting the massive scale of the issue.

The report also reveals that recruits are often found through online forms, and those working for Medusa can be paid anywhere from $100 to $1 million.

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