Major U.S. cable operator and internet service provider WideOpenWest had its servers claimed to have been completely compromised by the newly emergent Arkana Security ransomware operation, reports Cybernews.
Aside from pilfering 403,000 WOW! user account data, including full names, usernames and salted passwords, email addresses, login histories, and security questions and answers, Arkana Security also purported exfiltrating a separate CSV file with 2.2 million records, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and devices, while touting total backend access. Attackers also exposed data allegedly from WOW! CEO Teresa Elder as it warned the ISP to pay its demanded ransom within two days. While WOW! has yet to acknowledge Arkana Security's claims, such a data breach was reported by Hudson Rock researchers to have stemmed from an information-stealing malware attack against an employee's computer in September that enabled access to WOW!'s critical systems, including its AppianCloud infrastructure and Symphonica admin panel. "This incident underscores the growing threat of infostealers as a precursor to ransomware attacks and the urgent need for organizations to prioritize infostealer monitoring to prevent such breaches," said Hudson Rock.
