The Tri Counties Bank in Chico Gets Hacked by a Cyber Gang
Table of Contents
- By Steven
- Published: Mar 29, 2023
- Last Updated: Mar 29, 2023
Banks are entrusted with a great deal of personal information, money, and more by their customers. When a bank isn't able to secure those things, it's a major issue. This is an issue that the Tri-Counties Bank in Chico faced earlier this year. It wasn't money that the bank failed to protect, but customer information. The bank suffered from a serious cyber attack and lost confidential information in the process.
How Did the Attack Occur?
The attack on Tri-Counties Bank was conducted by the Black Basta crime gang. The gang hacked into the bank's file servers to gain access to all sorts of confidential documents. These documents could cause serious harm to the bank's customers if distributed online. The attack occurred in February 2023 and was initialized in an effort to obtain a ransom from the bank. Once the information was obtained and key files were encrypted, the ransomware gang demanded payment from the bank to reverse the actions. We don't know the specifics about how the gang was able to get into the bank's file systems, but with the gang's history of attacks, it seems plausible that it was able to carry out a successful
What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?
We don't know exactly what information was taken from the Tri Counties Bank. The ransomware gang has put up photos of passports, driver's licenses, and more confidential documents belonging to members of the bank. These items were supposedly obtained from the file servers maintained by the bank, and it's likely that other important documents and bits of data were taken as well. Banks must manage a significant amount of data from their clients, all this information at the Tri Counties Bank in Chico, California, may have just been exposed and put at risk.
How Did the Tri-Counties Bank in Chico Admit to the Breach?
As of right now, it doesn't appear that the Tri-Counties Bank has put out a statement of its own regarding this attack. The Black Basta gang put up information about the attack online, demonstrating the stolen documents as proof that it broke into the network. Since some of the data taken from the bank is reportedly confidential information, it's likely the bank will file an official government report, and that letters will go out to all the individuals involved in this data breach.
What Will Become of the Stolen Information?
The Black Basta gang has a history of misusing personal information, and this instance isn't 'likely to be any different. If the bank refuses to pay the ransom, it's likely that customer information will be spread around the internet or sold to the highest bidder. The documents could be used for identity theft purposes.
What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?
If you believe you could be impacted by this data breach, you should begin monitoring your credit and financial accounts closely. Consider investing in a credit monitoring service to watch for suspicious activity on your credit, and take steps to protect yourself as soon as possible.
