Los Angeles housing authority probing reported ransomware attack

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles said an investigation is underway after the LockBit ransomware gang announced it had performed a cyberattack on the agency, according to TechCrunch. LockBit added the HACLA to the list of attacked targets on its dark web site on Dec. 31, claiming that it had stolen 15 terabytes of data from the agency and posting screenshots that indicate the group had stolen the personal information of individuals who sought housing assistance through the agency as well as data extracted from the agency's accountancy, payroll, and human resources files. "We are working diligently with third-party specialists to investigate the source of this disruption, confirm its impact on our systems, and to restore full functionality securely to our environment as soon as possible," according to a spokesperson for the HACLA. The incident marks the second major cybersecurity breach on a Los Angeles institution in recent months, following the Vice Society ransomware group's data breach in September on the Los Angeles Unified School District.