Cybersecurity firm: Growing Iranian ransomware attacks on Israeli companies

Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies says Iranian hackers have been behind several recent ransomware attacks on Israeli companies.

Global ransomware attacks have generally been on the rise. Such attacks involve software infecting the target’s computers and either locking the users out of their own system or threatening to publicize secret information unless a ransom sum is paid.

The recent attacks reportedly used weaknesses in companies’ VPN software for employees’ remote connection to their networks.

Several recent attacks on Israeli firms have seen targets asked to pay 7-9 bitcoins (some $112,000) to secure their data.

Check Point says the trail has led its investigators to Iranian hackers. There is now word on the attacks being tied to the government in Tehran.