Water for People non-profit becomes victim of a ransomware attack

Water for People, a non-profit organisation dedicated to developing access to clean water for countries that lack drinking and sanitation, has fallen victim to a Medusa ransomware attack.

The ransomware group listed Water for People on its data leak website and issued an extortion fee of $300,000 in exchange for keeping stolen information private.

A spokesperson for the organisation assured that the accessed data predates 2021, implying that the attackers have not compromised any financial systems and their core business operations remained intact. The organisation has teamed up with top incident response firms, insurance companies, and internal security experts to strengthen its systems protection against potential cyber threats.

 

A particular donation allegedly initiated the Medusa ransomware attack on Water for People.

 

Speculations suggest that the Medusa ransomware attack on Water for People started after MacKenzie Scott, the philanthropic ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated a $15 million grant. However, no evidence currently links the ransomware attack to this substantial donation.

Operating across nine countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Mozambique, and India, Water for People dedicates every donation to improve water access for over 200 million people within the next eight years.

Despite the recent cyberattack, the non-profit emphasises its critical mission to combat the global water crisis and provide communities with access to clean water and sanitation services, which remains unaffected.

This incident highlights the evolving threat landscape faced by NGOs globally. The spokesperson stated that the recent cyber-attack has not impacted their essential work, but it does reflect that even non-profits could also be the targets of these threat actors.

The Medusa ransomware group, known for its opportunistic approach, has previously targeted an Italian company that supplies drinking water to nearly half a million people. In addition, a 2021 analysis revealed the gang’s tendency to strike opportunistically rather than explicitly targeting organisations associated with water provision.

Unfortunately, many NGOs rely heavily on donations since they constantly have financial problems. Hence, these ransomware attacks could derail their projects and missions, especially after receiving hefty sums from well-known individuals.

The recent attack on Water for People highlights that even humanitarian efforts could still become targets of ransomware groups. Therefore, as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, safeguarding critical infrastructure and securing organisations dedicated to global welfare is an urgent and vital mission for everyone.