A recently-issued joint advisory by the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the Treasury Department warns that MedusaLocker ransomware “targets vulnerabilities in Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to access victims’ networks.” The alert encourages “network defenders to examine their current cybersecurity posture and apply the recommended mitigations,…including:

  • Prioritize remediating known exploited vulnerabilities.
  • Train users to recognize and report phishing attempts.
  • Enable and enforce multifactor authentication.”

MedusaLocker exploits vulnerabilities in RDP, encrypts the victim’s data, and sends a ransom note embedded in the encrypted files demanding payment in Bitcoin to obtain the encryption key.

The alert (linked here) provides technical details and mitigation steps.

Photo of Linn Foster Freedman Linn Foster Freedman

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her…

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her practice on compliance with all state and federal privacy and security laws and regulations. She counsels a range of public and private clients from industries such as construction, education, health care, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, utilities and critical infrastructure, marine and charitable organizations, on state and federal data privacy and security investigations, as well as emergency data breach response and mitigation. Linn is an Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity at Brown University and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Roger Williams University School of Law.  Prior to joining the firm, Linn served as assistant attorney general and deputy chief of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Rhode Island. She earned her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law and her B.A., with honors, in American Studies from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.