Quote:The FBI has issued a warning about an uptick in cyberattacks on the education sector that are delivering the PYSA ransomware.
 
In a “Flash” alert to the cybersecurity community issued on Tuesday, the Feds said that PYSA has been seen in attacks on schools in 12 U.S. states and in the United Kingdom in March alone. The attacks have cast a wide net, hitting higher education, K-12 schools and seminaries, the alert warned.
 
In addition, the unknown cyber-adversaries have targeted a handful of government entities, healthcare and private companies, the FBI said.
 
PYSA (a.k.a. Mespinoza), like most ransomware, is capable of exfiltrating data and encrypting users’ critical files and data stored on their systems. The FBI noted that it sets about gaining initial access in the usual way: Either by brute-forcing Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) credentials and/or through phishing emails.