Babuk Source Code Sparks 9 Different Ransomware Strains Targeting VMware ESXi Systems

Multiple threat actors have capitalized on the leak of Babuk aka Babak or Babyk ransomware code in September 2021 to build as many as nine different ransomware families capable of targeting VMware ESXi systems. "These variants emerged through H2 2022 and H1 2023, which shows an increasing trend o...

Rorschach Ransomware Emerges: Experts Warn of Advanced Evasion Strategies

Cybersecurity researchers have taken the wraps off a previously undocumented ransomware strain called Rorschach that's both sophisticated and fast. "What makes Rorschach stand out from other ransomware strains is its high level of customization and its technically unique features that have not be...

ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 500 New Targets in European Countries

More than 500 hosts have been newly compromised en masse by the ESXiArgs ransomware strain, most of which are located in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K., and Ukraine. The findings come from attack surface management firm Censys, which discovered "two hosts with strikingly similar ranso...

ESXiArgs Ransomware Hits Over 500 New Targets in European Countries

More than 500 hosts have been newly compromised en masse by the ESXiArgs ransomware strain, most of which are located in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K., and Ukraine. The findings come from attack surface management firm Censys, which discovered "two hosts with strikingly similar ranso...

New ESXiArgs Ransomware Variant Emerges After CISA Releases Decryptor Tool

After the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA released a decryptor for affected victims to recover from ESXiArgs ransomware attacks, the threat actors have bounced back with an updated version that encrypts more data. The emergence of the new variant was reported by a syste...

New ESXiArgs Ransomware Variant Emerges After CISA Releases Decryptor Tool

After the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA released a decryptor for affected victims to recover from ESXiArgs ransomware attacks, the threat actors have bounced back with an updated version that encrypts more data. The emergence of the new variant was reported by a syste...

Yanluowang Ransomware Leaks Analysis: Organization, Collaboration with HelloKitty, Babuk and Conti

Yanluowang Ransomware Leaks Analysis: Organization, Collaboration with HelloKitty, Babuk and Conti By Jambul Tologonov· November 22, 2022 Introduction On October 31, 2022, Yanluowang’s TOR site was hacked displaying a message “check and mate!! Yanluowang Matrix chat hacked @yanluowangleaks Time’s...

Yanluowang Ransomware Leaks Analysis: Organization, Collaboration with HelloKitty, Babuk and Conti

Yanluowang Ransomware Leaks Analysis: Organization, Collaboration with HelloKitty, Babuk and Conti By Jambul Tologonov· November 22, 2022 Introduction On October 31, 2022, Yanluowang’s TOR site was hacked displaying a message “check and mate!! Yanluowang Matrix chat hacked @yanluowangleaks Time’s...

State-Backed Hackers Using Ransomware as a Decoy for Cyber Espionage Attacks

A China-based advanced persistent threat APT group is possibly deploying short-lived ransomware families as a decoy to cover up the true operational and tactical objectives behind its campaigns. The activity cluster, attributed to a hacking group dubbed Bronze Starlight by Secureworks, involves t...

New Linux-Based Ransomware Cheerscrypt Targeting ESXi Devices Linked to Leaked Babuk Source Code

New findings showed that Cheerscrypt, a new Linux-based ransomware variant that compromises ESXi servers, was derived from the leaked Babuk source code. We discuss our analysis in this report...

Wazawaka Goes Waka Waka

In January, KrebsOnSecurity examined clues left behind by "Wazawaka," the hacker handle chosen by a major ransomware criminal in the Russian-speaking cybercrime scene. Wazawaka has since "lost his mind" according to his erstwhile colleagues, creating a Twitter account to drop exploit code for a...

Ransomware Builder Babuk Insecure Permissions Vulnerability

Ransomware Builder Babuk malware suffers from an insecure permissions vulnerability. Discovery / credits: Malvuln - malvuln.com c 2022 Original source: https://malvuln.com/advisory/5dfa998f62612e10d5d28d26948dd50f.txt Contact: email protected Media: twitter.com/malvuln Threat: Ransomware Builder...

Ransomware Builder Babuk Insecure Permissions

Discovery / credits: Malvuln - malvuln.com c 2022 Original source: https://malvuln.com/advisory/5dfa998f62612e10d5d28d26948dd50f.txt Contact: [email protected] Media: twitter.com/malvuln Threat: Ransomware Builder Babuk Vulnerability: Insecure Permissions Description: The malware creates...

Rook: New Ransomware in the market scavenges code from Babuk

THREAT LEVEL: Red. For a detailed advisory, download the pdf file here. Security researchers found new ransomware dubbed as Rook that reuses the code from Babuk which was released earlier. It was initially seen on VirusTotal on November 26th and pwned its first victim, a Kazkh financial...

Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities exploited once again for ransomware, this time with Babuk

By Chetan Raghuprasad and Vanja Svajcer, with contributions from Caitlin Huey. Cisco Talos recently discovered a malicious campaign deploying variants of the Babuk ransomware predominantly affecting users in the U.S. with smaller number of infections in U.K., Germany, Ukraine, Finland, Brazil,...

‘Tortilla’ Wraps Exchange Servers in ProxyShell Attacks

A new-ish threat actor sometimes known as “Tortilla” is launching a fresh round of ProxyShell attacks on Microsoft Exchange servers, this time with the aim of inflicting vulnerable servers with variants of the Babuk ransomware. Cisco Talos researchers said in a Wednesday report that they spotted...

The ‘Groove’ Ransomware Gang Was a Hoax

A number of publications in September warned about the emergence of "Groove," a new ransomware group that called on competing extortion gangs to unite in attacking U.S. government interests online. It now appears that Groove was all a big hoax designed to toy with security firms and journalists...

Is There Really Such a Thing as a Low-Paid Ransomware Operator?

ARCHIVED STORY Is There Really Such a Thing as a Low-Paid Ransomware Operator? By Thibault Seret · October 18, 2021 Introduction Going by recent headlines you could be forgiven for thinking all ransomware operators are raking in millions of ill-gotten dollars each year from their nefarious...

Is There Really Such a Thing as a Low-Paid Ransomware Operator?

ARCHIVED STORY Is There Really Such a Thing as a Low-Paid Ransomware Operator? By Thibault Seret · October 18, 2021 Introduction Going by recent headlines you could be forgiven for thinking all ransomware operators are raking in millions of ill-gotten dollars each year from their nefarious...

Babuk: Biting off More than they Could Chew by Aiming to Encrypt VM and *nix Systems? | McAfee Blogs

Babuk: Biting off More than they Could Chew by Aiming to Encrypt VM and nix Systems? Thibault Seret · JUL 28, 2021 Co-written with Northwave’s Noël Keijzer. Executive Summary For a long time, ransomware gangs were mostly focused on Microsoft Windows operating systems. Yes, we observed the...