Ethical Hacking News
The Panama Ministry of Economy and Finance has disclosed a breach claimed by the INC ransomware group, despite the organization's claims that sensitive data was safe. The incident raises concerns about the effectiveness of security protocols in preventing such breaches.
The Panama Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) disclosed a breach claimed by the INC ransomware group. The breach is believed to have occurred on one of MEF's workstations due to a malicious software attack. More than 1.5 TB of data, including emails, financial documents, and sensitive information, was stolen from MEF's systems. The INC ransomware group has targeted multiple high-profile victims since its emergence in mid-2023. A data leak site was discovered with leaked data samples from various organizations, further highlighting the growing threat of ransomware attacks. MEF stated that personal and institutional data are safe, but the breach raises concerns about the effectiveness of security protocols.
The Panama Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has recently disclosed a breach claimed by the INC ransomware group, sparking concerns about the security measures in place to protect sensitive data. The incident was announced by MEF in an official statement, which provided details on how the breach occurred and what steps were taken to contain it.
According to the statement, the breach was detected on one of the ministry's workstations, where a malicious software attack may have been launched. The MEF activated its security protocols immediately to address the situation and reinforced preventive measures across its entire IT system to prevent further intrusion. Despite this, the group claimed that they had stolen more than 1.5 TB of data from MEF's systems, including emails, financial documents, budgeting details, and other sensitive information.
The INC ransomware group emerged as a threat actor in mid-2023 and has since targeted multiple high-profile victims, such as Yamaha Motor, Xerox Business Solution, Scotland's NHS, McLaren Health Care, the Texas State Bar, and Ahold Delhaize. The group gained notoriety after another threat actor using the moniker "salfetka" posted on Russian-speaking hacking forums that they had acquired the source code for the ransomware and were offering to sell it for $300,000.
In May 2024, a data leak site was discovered where users could access leaked data samples from various organizations, including Yamaha Motor, Xerox Business Solution, Scotland's NHS, McLaren Health Care, the Texas State Bar, and Ahold Delhaize. This incident further highlighted the growing threat of ransomware attacks on organizations worldwide.
The MEF stated that personal and institutional data are safe, and all industry-standard measures are in place to prevent future incidents. However, this assurance may not be enough for some organizations considering the recent increase in high-profile ransomware attacks. The fact that INC Ransom claimed an attack on MEF last week in a post on its data leak site raises concerns about the effectiveness of security protocols in preventing such breaches.
In conclusion, while the Panama Ministry of Economy and Finance has disclosed a breach attributed to the INC ransomware group, it is essential for organizations to remain vigilant about their security posture. The recent surge in ransomware attacks highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures, including regular updates, backups, and employee training on cybersecurity best practices.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Panama-Ministry-of-Economy-Discloses-Ransomware-Attack-Despite-INC-Ransom-Groups-Claims-ehn.shtml
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/panama-ministry-of-economy-discloses-breach-claimed-by-inc-ransomware/
https://noticiasdepanama.com/economia/intento-de-hackeo-al-ministerio-de-economia-y-finanzas-aseguran-que-sistema-no-fue-comprometido/
Published: Thu Sep 11 14:46:30 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
