Cherokee County School District Faces Ransomware Attack From Interlock

The Cherokee County School District in the US recently fell victim to a ransomware attack orchestrated by the Interlock group, exposing critical vulnerabilities in their network security. Despite having skilled IT staff, the breach highlights that even well-prepared organizations can be compromised.

Link: Cherokee County Ransomware Attack

You Should Know:

1. Understanding Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts files, demanding payment for decryption. Common entry points include:
– Phishing emails
– Unpatched software vulnerabilities
– Weak remote desktop protocol (RDP) configurations

2. Detection & Prevention Commands (Linux/Windows)

Linux:

Check running processes for suspicious activity:
```
ps aux | grep -i "crypt|lock|encrypt"
```
Monitor network connections:
```
netstat -tulnp | grep -E "tor|ransom"
```
Scan for recently modified files (potential encryption):
```
find / -type f -mtime -1 -exec ls -la {} \;
```

Windows:

List active connections (PowerShell):

Get-NetTCPConnection | Where-Object {$_.State -eq "Established"} | Select-Object LocalAddress, RemoteAddress

Check for suspicious services:

Get-Service | Where-Object {$<em>.Status -eq "Running" -and $</em>.DisplayName -like "crypt"}

Disable RDP if not needed:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server" -Name "fDenyTSConnections" -Value 1

3. Mitigation Steps

Isolate infected systems (unplug from network).
Restore from offline backups (never pay ransom).
Patch all systems (prioritize RDP, SMB vulnerabilities).

What Undercode Say

The Cherokee County breach underscores that ransomware remains a severe threat, even for organizations with strong defenses. Proactive measures—such as network segmentation, endpoint detection, and employee training—are crucial.

Additional Security Commands:

Linux:

Check for unusual cron jobs 
crontab -l 
Verify file integrity (Tripwire/AIDE) 
aide --check

Windows:

Enable Windows Defender real-time protection 
Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $false 
Audit failed login attempts 
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4625}

Expected Output:

A hardened system with monitored network traffic, disabled unnecessary services, and regular backups reduces ransomware risks. Stay vigilant—attackers evolve, so must defenses.

Reference: Cherokee County Ransomware Attack