ElDorado Ransomware Attack on Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Giulio Natta

Overview of the Victim

The Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Giulio Natta, located in Milan, Italy, is a prominent educational institution. The school offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes specialized programs in various fields, making it a valuable resource for students, parents, and staff. The institution's website provides detailed information about its programs, events, and services. Although the exact size of the school is not disclosed, it likely has a significant number of students and staff.

Details of the Attack

In a shocking turn of events, the ransomware group ElDorado executed a sophisticated attack on the Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Giulio Natta, resulting in the theft of 40.5GB of data. The stolen data has been put up for sale on ElDorado's dark web leak site. This attack highlights the vulnerabilities educational institutions face, particularly those with potentially less fortified cybersecurity defenses.

About ElDorado Ransomware Group

ElDorado is a ransomware group that emerged in 2024, known for its double-extortion tactics. The group not only encrypts victims' files but also exfiltrates sensitive data, threatening to release it publicly if ransom demands are not met. ElDorado has claimed 15 victims over seven months, showcasing their aggressive and well-coordinated operations. They employ a variety of tactics, including phishing attacks, exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities, and weaknesses in Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) configurations.

Penetration and Impact

ElDorado's meticulous approach involves thorough reconnaissance to identify valuable data within the targeted network. They use legitimate system administration tools for malicious purposes, making their activities harder to detect. The group exfiltrates sensitive data before encryption, adding pressure on victims to pay the ransom. The use of robust encryption algorithms makes it extremely difficult to decrypt files without the attacker's key, effectively crippling the victim's operations.

Sources

• Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Giulio Natta