Museum Dingolfing Suffers Ransomware Attack

Museum Dingolfing, a cultural institution in Germany, has been targeted by the ransomware group Lockbit2. The attack was announced on the group's dark web leak site. The museum operates in the Education sector and is known for its diverse thematic areas, including the presentation of local history and culture.

Company Size and Industry Standing

Museum Dingolfing is a cultural institution that is part of the education sector. Its specific size is not detailed in available data, but its reputation for promoting local history and culture through diverse thematic areas is well recognized.

Vulnerabilities and Targeting

Ransomware attacks often exploit organizations with inadequate cybersecurity defenses. The Lockbit2 group's attack on Museum Dingolfing underscores a growing trend of cyber threats facing libraries and museums. These institutions are increasingly dependent on digital technology for their operations, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.

Mitigation Strategies

To counter the threat of ransomware attacks, organizations are advised to adopt comprehensive cybersecurity practices. These include conducting regular software updates, providing employee training on cyber threats, and deploying firewalls and antivirus solutions. Network segmentation and the maintenance of isolated backups are also critical strategies to minimize data loss during such incidents.

Sources

• Museum Dingolfing: http://www.museum-dingolfing.de/
• Museums on alert following British Library cyber attack: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2023/12/museums-on-alert-following-british-library-cyber-attack/
• Software used by hundreds of museums taken down by ransomware attack: https://www.pcmag.com/news/software-used-by-hundreds-of-museums-taken-down-by-ransomware-attack
• Museum world hit by cyberattack on widely used software: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/arts/design/museum-cyberattack.html
• Top online gallery provider takes systems offline following ransomware attack: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/top-online-gallery-provider-takes-systems-offline-following-ransomware-attack
• A cyberattack hits software used by museums, causing online collections to go down: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/cyberattack-hits-software-used-by-museums-online-collections-2416159