IT Services Giant Cognizant Hit by Maze Ransomware Cyber Attack

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp, one of the largest IT services providers hit by Maze Ransomware Cyber Attack which causes service disruptions to its clients.

The company has more than 300,000 employees and it provides IT services, including digital, technology, consulting, and operations services.

Maze Ransomware Attack – Cognizant

The company started emailing their client on Friday, stating that their internal systems hit by Maze ransomware attack.

“Cognizant can confirm that a security incident involving our internal systems, and causing service disruptions for some of our clients, is the result of a Maze ransomware attack,” reads the company statement.

Vitali Kremez@VK_Intel

High alert related to the yet another ransomware attack perpetrated by the Maze group possibly affecting @Cognizant.

Reviewing & mitigating against the usual Maze TTPs (including RDP + remote services as an attack vector) is advisable.

Pushed #YARAhttps://github.com/k-vitali/Malware-Misc-RE/blob/master/2020-04-18-maze-ransomware-unpacked-payload.vk.yar …

176

11:24 AM - Apr 18, 2020

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The company said that they have implemented internal security associated with leading cyber defense firms and “taking steps to contain this incident”.

They also engaged with the law enforcement authorities, according to the statement posted to its website on Saturday.

Under the Breach @underthebreach

- April 11 a threat actor offers to sell access to a huge IT company for $200,000.

- April 17th he closes the thread saying it is not relevant anymore.

- April 18th, Cognizant suffers a Ransomware by Maze.

Is it possible Maze bought that access and Cognizant was the company? https://twitter.com/underthebreach/status/1249044203784585217 …

Under the Breach @underthebreach

Twitter hive mind, please help!

Known threat actor selling access to a huge IT company, I want to figure which one it is.

Notable information we know about its clients:
1. Event organization company, largest in its country.
2. Luxury hotel chain with 6 properties.
(1/2)

237

1:45 AM - Apr 19, 2020

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The company has informed their “clients and have provided them with Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) and other technical information of a defensive nature”.

MalwareHunterTeam@malwrhunterteam

 · Apr 18, 2020

Replying to @malwrhunterteam

The same signer was used to sign other samples too.
"mapdata.exe": aad2869ebbd92c22c3366bccf857522686e70c8f541d9164bc483dc44244dbcc - more about the source of the file: https://twitter.com/JayTHL/status/1249230025234231297 …
"IRS_Documents.exe": 6fc48d3429e817e52c38c8d17fc2c7740acaae563a90ebad8e0391a9e9742aee

JTHL@JayTHL

suspicious covid-19 maps, hacked site

centromusicalpaternense[.]es/wp-includes/
vidmap/
cvmap/
comap/
cmap/

.jnlp launches arcgis dashboard ripoff coronavirusmaps[.]pro
downloads this Sectigo signed 24 VT score VT
aad2869ebbd92c22c3366bccf857522686e70c8f541d9164bc483dc44244dbcc

MalwareHunterTeam@malwrhunterteam

Cognizant sending emails to their clients "stating that they had been compromised" which included a hash of a ~fresh Maze ransomware sample and then Maze denies it?

15

12:09 AM - Apr 19, 2020

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The maze ransomware was first observed in May 2019, operators behind the maze ransomware are known for stealing unencrypted files before encrypting them.

Then by using the stolen files, the operators will threaten the victims to pay the ransom or they will release the data.

Unlike other ransomware operators who use social engineering and spam email campaigns to attack targeted systems, the maze ransomware operators use exploit kits to place the foothold.

“If the Maze operators conducted this attack, they were likely present in Cognizant’s network for weeks, if not longer,” said Bleeping computer, who first reported the incident.

Once the encryption completed each file gets appended with different extension along with the original extension and the desktop wallpaper get’s changed to below.

Maze ransomware developed by skilled developers, they include a number of stealthy mechanisms and it poses a big threat to individuals and enterprises.

The ransomware attacks now become an easy and malicious way of robbing individuals and company’s can cost billions of dollars not to mention the privacy and safety implications.