Cactus hacking group Claims breach of 861 GB Data of HACLA

the Cactus hacking group has claimed responsibility for breaching the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), allegedly exfiltrating 861 GB of sensitive data.

This breach has raised serious concerns about the security of public service agencies and the protection of personal information.

Details of the Breach

According to reports from HackManac, The Cactus ransomware group announced that it had accessed a vast array of sensitive data from HACLA’s systems.

The stolen data reportedly includes personally identifiable information (PII), database backups, financial documents, personal data of executives and employees, customer information, corporate confidential data, and internal correspondence. 

The group has already published some screenshots of the stolen documents on its leak site as proof of its claims.

HACLA confirmed that its IT network was compromised but has not yet verified the extent of the data theft claimed by Cactus.

In response to the attack, HACLA has engaged external forensic IT specialists to investigate and mitigate the breach.

Despite the incident, HACLA stated that its systems remain operational and that it is committed to continuing its services for low-income and vulnerable residents in Los Angeles.

A Recurring Target

This is not the first time HACLA has been targeted by cybercriminals. In 2022, the LockBit ransomware group breached HACLA’s network, maintaining unauthorized access for nearly a year before being detected.

That attack resulted in the exposure of critical personal information, including names, social security numbers, and financial account details. 

The recurrence of such incidents underscores the vulnerability of public agencies to sophisticated cyber threats.

Cybersecurity experts warn that organizations like HACLA are prime targets for ransomware groups due to their management of sensitive data and provision of essential services.

These agencies face immense pressure to resolve such breaches quickly to restore their operations and protect their stakeholders.

The latest breach by Cactus highlights ongoing challenges in securing public sector IT infrastructure against ransomware attacks.

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