ARRL Systems Down

[W9WSS]

Just accessed from the ARRL.org main page on their website:

ARRL Systems Service Disruption​

05/16/2024
We are in the process of responding to a serious incident involving access to our network and headquarters-based systems. Several services, such as Logbook of The World® and the ARRL Learning Center, are affected. Please know that restoring access is our highest priority, and we are expeditiously working with outside industry experts to address the issue. We appreciate your patience.

 

[KF0NYL]

LOTW has been down since at least early yesterday morning.

 

[W9WSS]

Then that would explain the issue with LoTW.

 

[GlobalNorth]

The League appears to have been hacked,

 

[mmckenna]

I soooo want to make a "when all else fails" joke here, but I'll restrain myself for the time being.

 

[K3YGX]

Seems like the internet failed, not the radio waves ---- (well maybe the solar events slowed 'em down a bit)
I was a lineman for the phone company - I guess Glen Campbell didn't care though

 

[KF5LJW]

Good, perhaps it is the end of ARRL. Cut the money off, and they go away.

 

[mmckenna]

Seems like the internet failed, not the radio waves ---- (well maybe the solar events slowed 'em down a bit)
I was a lineman for the phone company - I guess Glen Campbell didn't care though

Point was that ARRL often talks about amateur radio as the tool to use when internet/phone/cellular services goes down.

Seems like this would have been an awesome opportunity to show how amateur radio can step up to the plate when traditional services fail. It appears to me that they missed an opportunity here. Packet radio into an old-skool BBS to record logs would have been a neat trick to pull off.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Point was that ARRL often talks about amateur radio as the tool to use when internet/phone/cellular services goes down.

Seems like this would have been an awesome opportunity to show how amateur radio can step up to the plate when traditional services fail. It appears to me that they missed an opportunity here. Packet radio into an old-skool BBS to record logs would have been a neat trick to pull off.

'There are eight calls ahead of you...'

 

[kv5e]

I smell malware on the Newington Network.......b0ned and pwned

 

[BillMaui]

Point was that ARRL often talks about amateur radio as the tool to use when internet/phone/cellular services goes down.

Seems like this would have been an awesome opportunity to show how amateur radio can step up to the plate when traditional services fail. It appears to me that they missed an opportunity here. Packet radio into an old-skool BBS to record logs would have been a neat trick to pull off.

But we can still buy ARRL logo clothing, hats and coffee mugs in the store, right?

 

[GlobalNorth]

There's probably a sale of Hi-Viz gear.

 

[jeepsandradios]

American Radio Relay League cyberattack takes Logbook of the World offline

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) warns it suffered a cyberattack, which disrupted its IT systems and online operations, including email and the Logbook of the World.

www.bleepingcomputer.com

 

[pdtek]

I just looked at the ARRL website and no access to the LOTW, no uptime service status indicated since May 14, 2024. Not trying to flame the ARRL but it seems to me like they are not being too "transparent" about resolving it.

 

[GlobalNorth]

If I were a contester, I'd place a large order for QSL cards and proceed from there.

 

[AK9R]

"We are working with industry experts, including cyber crime attorneys and the authorities, who have directed us to be conservative and cautious with our communications while restoring the ARRL network."

ARRL Systems Service Disruption

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.

www.arrl.org

Unfortunately, there's more than Logbook of the World that isn't working right now. From what I've been told, the attack is being carefully analyzed and systems are being rigorously tested for reinstatement. However, progress is slow.

By comparison, Ascension Health Care, which has 142 hospitals, 40 senior living facilities, and 142,000 employees was hit with a cyber attack almost a month ago. There are anecdotal reports that some health records are still unavailable and employees are being paid overtime to "sneaker-net" records around Ascension facilities.

 

[pdtek]

Thanks AK9R, , got the conservative and cautious noted.

 

[cg]

Update to the ARRL hack:

Connecticut-based nonprofit pays $1 million ransom after cyberattack

A Connecticut-based nonprofit has paid $1 million in ransom after a cyberattack that happened in mid-May. The National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL) said their system’s network was compromised by threat actors who used information they purchased on the dark web on May 15. “That morning...

www.nbcconnecticut.com

 

[10-43]

It only takes one ransomware attack file to be saved on a network file share to get spread allover and encrypt an entire file storage. Amazing that businesses still do not manage sufficient backup processes to prevent the affects of ransomware attacks. It is very difficult to prevent ransomware due to stupidity of system users, but very easy to recover if you manage sufficient backups.
My last company before I retired we were attacked twice in 9 years. Each time we were down at most a few hours. Never paid any ransom. Second attack finally convinced management to include funds for employee education. These attacks are always due to human engineering. An employee opens something in an email they clearly shouldn't, or shares their account credentials with someone. Maybe 10 years ago Sony got hit because an executive shared his credentials which allowed a bad actor to log into the company VPN and gain internal access.
What is specially amazing is hospitals you still read about having to pay the ransomes.

I looked recently into renewing my ARRL membership but was turned off by the cost. Now I am less interested. They clearly are not investing enough in system resources. The million dollars could have been much better spent on backup systems and redundancies.

 

[10-43]

It only takes one ransomware attack file to be saved on a network file share to get spread allover and encrypt an entire file storage. Amazing that businesses still do not manage sufficient backup processes to prevent the affects of ransomware attacks. It is very difficult to prevent ransomware due to stupidity of system users, but very easy to recover if you manage sufficient backups.
My last company before I retired we were attacked twice in 9 years. Each time we were down at most a few hours. Never paid any ransom. Second attack finally convinced management to include funds for employee education. These attacks are always due to human engineering. An employee opens something in an email they clearly shouldn't, or shares their account credentials with someone. Maybe 10 years ago Sony got hit because an executive shared his credentials which allowed a bad actor to log into the company VPN and gain internal access.
What is specially amazing is hospitals you still read about having to pay the ransomes.

I looked recently into renewing my ARRL membership but was turned off by the cost. Now I am less interested. They clearly are not investing enough in system resources. The million dollars could have been much better spent on backup systems and redundancies.

Should have read as "human social engineering". People just click on crap in email without making sure it's legit. Usually it is very, very easy to tell it is a phishing email.