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Telephone: 703.359.0700

Ransomware Attack on Hospital Results in Patients Death

September 29, 2020

An investigation is underway in the case of a German hospital who fell victim to a ransomware attack making their computer systems inoperable to admit new patients. Ultimately, a woman facing a life-threatening condition died after being turned away and recommended to a more distant hospital, according to WIRED.

The party responsible for the attack is currently unknown but is facing possible charges of negligent manslaughter. The attack occurred in mid-September and encrypted around 30 different hospital servers and left detailed information on how to contact the attackers. When a patient in serious condition arrived, they were forced to turn the patient away and recommended her to a hospital about 20 miles away, which resulted in about an hour in treatment delay. The patient ultimately died.

It is believed the attackers were targeting a nearby university associated with the hospital but ended up encrypting the hospitals systems instead.

When authorities communicated with the attackers and informed them the attack had hit the hospital responsible for treating emergency patients, the ransom was reportedly withdrawn, and a decryption key was provided. After that communication, the attackers are no longer able to be reached.

Email: sensei@senseient.com Phone: 703.359.0700
Digital Forensics/Cybersecurity/Information Technology
https://senseient.com/services/digital-forensics

Sensei Article Featured In ACEDS Blog

September 29, 2020

“Departing Employees, Data Theft, and Digital Forensics” by Sensei’s Mike Maschke and Brandon Barnes was featured in a recent blog post by ACEDS. The Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), part of leading legal education provider The BARBRI Group, is a global member-based association for professionals who work in e-discovery, information governance, compliance and the broader legal community.

Excerpt:

In late 2019, it was reported by Infosecurity Magazine that 72% of former employees admitted taking company data with them upon departure. Determining what actions a former employee took on a company device leading up to their departure can help assist in determining if company data was stolen or misappropriated. Did the departing employee retire or leave for a competitor? Where they forthcoming with their intent to depart or was it abrupt? Depending on the specifics of the situation, it may be advisable to perform a digital forensic investigation to help locate some answers.

It’s Never a Bad Idea to Preserve a Former Employee’s Devices

When an employee makes the decision to leave a company, it may be time to forensically preserve the contents of an employee’s business device(s), including cloud-based accounts. We are talking about devices provided by the employer for the employee to conduct their work and not personal devices. This will ensure the digital data has been collected in a manner that is admissible in court (should that be the outcome). If the device is not preserved and is reallocated to another employee, important information regarding the previous employee’s actions on the device may be overwritten.

Once the devices used by the employee have been forensically preserved, analysis may begin.

Read the entire article here.

Legal Talk Network Posts New Digital Detectives Podcast

September 24, 2020

The Perils of Biometric Information: Relevant Laws and Insurance Coverage for Biometric Lawsuits

Judy Selby gives a comprehensive overview of the many uses and risks associated with biometric information.

What happens when biometric information is compromised? For too many lawyers, the risks associated with this technology have been flying under the radar, but that needs to change! Digital Detectives hosts Sharon Nelson and John Simek welcome Judy Selby to discuss the full spectrum of what lawyers should know about biometric technology. They address its many uses, the risks involved, relevant laws, and insurance coverage for biometric lawsuits.

Judy Selby is a partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP.

Special thanks to the sponsors, Logikcull and PInow.

Listen to the podcast here.

Cellphone Evidence Leads to Gun Trafficking Charge

September 24, 2020

Tom Loewy of the Quad-City Times reports that a Davenport man who was originally charged with two misdemeanors now faces a felony charge for the possession of a stolen handgun. Ray Watkins was arrested and charged with an aggravated misdemeanor of carrying weapons and possession of marijuana. The charges stem from police seeing Watkins in a Davenport park with a loaded gun. They conducted a traffic stop of Watkins’ vehicle where they found the marijuana on his lap and through a search of the vehicle found a loaded Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol under the driver seat.

Officers had determined that the gun found in the vehicle was reported stolen by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on September 10, 2019. The Davenport Police obtained a search warrant for Watkin’s phone and recovered evidence that led to the addition of the felony charge. Photo and video evidence on the phone showed the accused in possession of the firearm. Additionally, they found a video on the phone that displayed the gun on Watkin’s lap just 12 minutes before officers had made contact.

In this case, the possession of the stolen firearm is considered trafficking. Watkins is currently being held in jail on a $5,000 bond and the preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday September 25, 2020.

Email: sensei@senseient.com Phone: 703.359.0700
Digital Forensics/Cybersecurity/Information Technology
https://senseient.com/services/digital-forensics