Finds Angler servers at a Dallas hosting provider during research Credit: Thinkstock Cisco this week says it disabled a distributor of the Angler ransomware exploit kit, a program that holds victim machines hostage via encryption.The catch disrupted a global ransomware operation that netted $60 million annually for the perpetrators, Cisco states in a blog post.+MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: Jane Austen lets the boogie man in: Cisco report+During research, Cisco’s Talos security unit discovered that computers infected with the Angler Exploit Kit were connecting to servers at Limestone Networks, a Dallas hosting provider. Angler encrypts victim machines until the victims pay a sum – a ransom — to have them decrypted. Limestone worked with Talos to deliver previously unknown insight into Angler’s data flow, management, and scale. Cisco also collaborated with Level 3 Communications and OpenDNS, a company it is acquiring, to learn more about the activity and devise a defense.According to the blog, Cisco shut down access for customers by updating products to stop redirects to the Angler proxy servers. The company also released Snort rules to detect and block checks from the health checks, and published protocols and other information so service providers and their customers can protect themselves. “This is a significant blow to the emerging hacker economy where ransomware and the black market sale of stolen IP, credit card info and personally identifiable information are generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually,” Cisco stated in the blog post. Related content news UK government plans 2,500 new tech recruits by 2025 with focus on cybersecurity New apprenticeships and talent programmes will support recruitment for in-demand roles such as cybersecurity technologists and software developers By Michael Hill Sep 29, 2023 4 mins Education Industry Education Industry Education Industry news UK data regulator orders end to spreadsheet FOI requests after serious data breaches The Information Commissioner’s Office says alternative approaches should be used to publish freedom of information data to mitigate risks to personal information By Michael Hill Sep 29, 2023 3 mins Government Cybercrime Data and Information Security feature Cybersecurity startups to watch for in 2023 These startups are jumping in where most established security vendors have yet to go. By CSO Staff Sep 29, 2023 19 mins CSO and CISO Security news analysis Companies are already feeling the pressure from upcoming US SEC cyber rules New Securities and Exchange Commission cyber incident reporting rules don't kick in until December, but experts say they highlight the need for greater collaboration between CISOs and the C-suite By Cynthia Brumfield Sep 28, 2023 6 mins Regulation Data Breach Financial Services Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe