JAKARTA - The FBI has thwarted a cyber attack targeting a children's hospital in Boston, United States (US). The attack was apparently carried out by hackers sponsored by the Iranian government.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said it learned of the planned digital attack from an unspecified intelligence partner.
They also provided Boston Children's Hospital with the information needed to block what would become the target of the cyberattack. Wray also spoke about the ongoing cyber threats from Russia, China and Iran and the need for partnerships between the US government and the private sector.
The FBI and Boston Children's Hospital have worked closely together after a hacker attacked the hospital's computer network in 2014. The attack on the hospital cost the facility tens of thousands of dollars and disrupted operations for days.
"The kids and our office in Boston knew each other well before the attack from Iran and that made a difference," Wray said.
Even so, Wray didn't think there was a specific motive for the planned attack on the hospital, but he said Iran and other countries had employed cyber mercenaries to carry out attacks on their behalf.
Launching NBC News, Monday, June 6, FBI agents collect threat-focused information from groups in general and immediately distribute it to hospitals. The information gave the hospital a good idea of what they were dealing with even if it wasn't up-to-date intelligence.
Then, over the course of a few days, the FBI was able to declassify some of the information and provide the hospital with more granular details. When it comes to Russia, Wray said, the FBI is racing to alert potential targets about the preparations hackers are making for a destructive attack.
In March, the FBI warned that it had seen an increase in hacker interest in energy companies since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, hackers from China have stolen more corporate and personal data from America than all other countries combined as part of a broader geopolitical goal of lying, cheating and stealing.
In addition, the FBI is also battling ransomware attacks from various gangs. Wray stressed the need for private companies to work with the FBI to thwart ransomware gangs and nation-state hackers, which is the key to success.
"What this partnership let us do is attack our adversaries at every point, from the victim's network to the computers of the hackers themselves," Wray said.
Lastly, the FBI and other federal agencies have been working to convince hacking victims to report intrusions and cybercrimes. However, many companies that are attacked by ransomware gangs often do not report to the FBI for various reasons.
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