Bouygues Constructions is a victim of more than one computer attack on ransomware

Last Thursday, several French construction companies, Bouygues construction, were the victims of a cyberattack described as "the threat of serious track aimed at French companies and institutions".

This is justified by the impact and damage caused by the computer attack according to ANSSI (the National Agency for Security of Information Systems.).

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The attack on the French company was of the type ransom.

As a reminder, ransomware is a computer attack, which consists of the hacker, preventing the victim from accessing the content of these files by encrypting access. In exchange for this access, the hacker will demand payment ransom to his victim. In the early stages of using this technique hacking, cybercriminals were simply simply making it appear a blank page in the foreground on which they demanded that a ransom be paid to them. the ransom is usually demanded in cryptocurrencies. However, today, the pirates who use this technique to make the maximum amount of data contained in the data contained unreadable. in the targeted terminal and demanding for the decryption, payment of the famous ransom.

Starting in 2014, it was noted that attacks on ransomware base have begun to take on a very large proportion. Especially during several "extensive infection campaigns. who were targets individuals. This type of attack is like half of ransomware piracy campaigns, even though we are seeing a significant decrease in their numbers. Now it's towards companies that hackers have decided to set their sights. Because they have more sensitive documents and are therefore more likely to pay the ransoms.

For Symantec, the computer security software manufacturer, since the beginning of 2019, a decrease in ransomware attacks has been 20% in reference to 2018. However, with regard to companies, an increase in more than 12% was to be observed. In other words, hackers seem to be growing more likely to attack private commercial institutions. "financially robust and can make a lot of money." But, in addition to private companies whether large, medium or even small, hackers have decided to focus on public institutions, in particular health facilities. The risk so doubled that even insurance companies have decided to offer their service at this level by paying ransoms while on the other hand other specialist companies have specialized in negotiation with the pirates. "Today, insurance incentives victims to pay the ransom, which is often less than the cost of a recovery of activity without the use of the decryption key. this incentive to pay validates the business model of cybercriminals" notes French Agency for Computer Security in its latest report.

In concluding on the risk posed by ransomware, the French Agency notes with regret: "These large amounts combined with the risk of disclosure of internal data make it the ransomware with the greatest potential impact on companies and institutions."

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