Australian law firm HWL Ebsworth impacted by ransomware

HWL Ebsworth, an Australian commercial law firm, has been hit by a ransomware attack from a group that has been linked to the Russian government. The ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware group claimed on its website that they have stolen about 4TB of company data, including client information and employee data such as financial reports, accounting data, credit card information, and a complete network map. The attack was reported by the Australian Financial Review, and cybersecurity company Sophos stated that the group has targeted several large organizations in the past. The professional and legal services industry is among the top targets for such attacks, with Australia being the most targeted in the Asia-Pacific region. Last year, the Australian government took measures to strengthen cybersecurity in the country, including increasing resources for the Australian federal police and the appointment of a national cybersecurity coordinator. Medibank, another Australian company that suffered a cyberattack, has refused to release the findings of an external report citing security concerns.