California Finance Department claimed to be attacked by LockBit ransomware gang

The LockBit ransomware gang has admitted to targeting the California Department of Finance, from which it has stolen 75.7 GB of data, CyberScoop reports. Data claimed to have been stolen by LockBit from the California Finance Department includes financial documents, confidential data, and databases, as well as sexual proceedings in court, with LockBit posting seven screenshots showing budget documents, an old contract, and a file directory with other document folders. The California Cybersecurity Integration Center has already been conducting an investigation into the incident, according to the California Governors Office of Emergency Services, which denied any compromise of state funds stemming from the attack. Meanwhile, Emsisoft threat analyst Brett Callow noted that LockBit's claims have not always been true, just like its previous claim of compromising Mandiant. LockBit's claimed attack on the California Finance Department comes after a Russian-Canadian national who was allegedly part of the operation was arrested by Canadian authorities in October.