Alston & Bird Privacy, Cyber & Data Strategy Blog

Larry Sommerfeld

About Larry Sommerfeld

Lawrence (Larry) Sommerfeld is a partner on Alston & Bird’s Privacy & Data Security and Cybersecurity Preparedness & Response teams. As an assistant U.S. attorney, he led the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Unit and investigated and prosecuted the leaders of one of the most sophisticated and coordinated cyber intrusions ever perpetrated. Larry was invited to join the Department of Justice’s Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Working Group, where he advised the DOJ on developing technology and intellectual property issues, and potential legislation.

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FinCEN Alerts Financial Institutions on Role in Facilitating Ransomware Attacks

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With an increase in the frequency, sophistication, and cost of ransomware attacks, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory on October 1, 2020 alerting financial institutions to ransomware trends and typologies, and related financial red flags, that may result in a regulatory obligation to report and share information related to ransomware attacks. Based […]

OFAC Ransomware Advisory Warns Companies of Potential Civil Liability

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Yesterday, October 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued its “Advisory on Potential Sanctions Risks for Facilitating Ransomware Payments.” The advisory begins with the observation that “ransomware attacks have become more focused, sophisticated, costly, and numerous,” citing certain FBI statistics, before making clear what was already well […]

UK National Cyber Security Centre Advisory: Russian Attackers, APT29, Targets Companies Involved in COVID-19 Vaccine Development

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Yesterday, the UK National Cyber Security Centre and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment released an advisory linking APT29 (also known as, ‘the Dukes’ or ‘Cozy Bear’) to attacks against COVID-19 vaccine development in Canada, the US and the UK.  The Advisory stated that APT29 is “almost certainly part of the Russian intelligence services.”  APT29/Cozy Bear was […]