Google said that ransomware hackers attacked dozens of large US financial institutions and used telephone social engineering to steal employees' account credentials. Hackers set up fake IT help desk websites, targeting institutions such as Blackstone Group, Apollo Global Management, KKR, TPG, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group, Moody's, Bridgewater, and Bain Capital. Google claims that some of the affected companies have paid ransoms, but did not disclose exactly which companies. The attack did not rely on advanced hacking techniques, but instead tricked employees into disclosing passwords and multi-factor authentication codes.

Google said that ransomware hackers attacked dozens of large US financial institutions and used telephone social engineering to steal employees' account credentials. Hackers set up fake IT help desk websites, targeting institutions such as Blackstone Group, Apollo Global Management, KKR, TPG, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group, Moody's, Bridgewater, and Bain Capital. Google claims that some of the affected companies have paid ransoms, but did not disclose exactly which companies. The attack did not rely on advanced hacking techniques, but instead tricked employees into disclosing passwords and multi-factor authentication codes.