Threat Brief: Understanding Akira Ransomware

Overview Akira is a prolific ransomware that has been operating since March 2023 and has targeted multiple industries, primarily in North America, the UK, and Australia. It functions as a Ransomware as a Service RaaS and exfiltrates data prior to encryption, achieving double extortion. According ...

Hacktivist Group Twelve Targets Russian Entities with Destructive Cyber Attacks

A hacktivist group known as Twelve has been observed using an arsenal of publicly available tools to conduct destructive cyber attacks against Russian targets. "Rather than demand a ransom for decrypting data, Twelve prefers to encrypt victims' data and then destroy their infrastructure with a...

Black Basta Ransomware: What You Need to Know

Overview Black Basta is a ransomware group operating as ransomware-as-a-service RaaS, first spotted in April 2022. It is known to use double extortion techniques where the group demands payment for the decryption and non-release of stolen data. Earlier versions of Black Basta share many...

Ransomware Groups Demystified: Lynx Ransomware

As part of our research and tracking of threats, Rapid7 Labs is actively monitoring new and upcoming threat groups and the ransomware domain is known for having a large number of them. In the Ransomware Radar Report, Rapid7 Labs shared the observation that in the first half of 2024, 21 new or...

RansomHub Ransomware Group Targets 210 Victims Across Critical Sectors

Threat actors linked to the RansomHub ransomware group encrypted and exfiltrated data from at least 210 victims since its inception in February 2024, the U.S. government said. The victims span various sectors, including water and wastewater, information technology, government services and...

BlackByte Ransomware Exploits VMware ESXi Flaw in Latest Attack Wave

The threat actors behind the BlackByte ransomware group have been observed likely exploiting a recently patched security flaw impacting VMware ESXi hypervisors, while also leveraging various vulnerable drivers to disarm security protections. "The BlackByte ransomware group continues to leverage...

New Linux Variant of Play Ransomware Targeting VMware ESXi Systems

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new Linux variant of a ransomware strain known as Play aka Balloonfly and PlayCrypt that's designed to target VMware ESXi environments. "This development suggests that the group could be broadening its attacks across the Linux platform, leading to an...

New HardBit Ransomware 4.0 Uses Passphrase Protection to Evade Detection

Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on a new version of a ransomware strain called HardBit that comes packaged with new obfuscation techniques to deter analysis efforts. "Unlike previous versions, HardBit Ransomware group enhanced the version 4.0 with passphrase protection," Cybereason...

Cactus Ransomware: New strain in the market

Cactus Ransomware: New strain in the market By Aishwarya Gentyal · July 11, 2024 Ransomware malware has been around for many years now and it continues to dominate the headlines. It's an attacker's top choice for cyber extortion and is one of the most active and profound threats facing...

New Ransomware-as-a-Service 'Eldorado' Targets Windows and Linux Systems

An emerging ransomware-as-a-service RaaS operation called Eldorado comes with locker variants to encrypt files on Windows and Linux systems. Eldorado first appeared on March 16, 2024, when an advertisement for the affiliate program was posted on the ransomware forum RAMP, Singapore-headquartered...

Rebranded Knight Ransomware Targeting Healthcare and Businesses Worldwide

An analysis of a nascent ransomware strain called RansomHub has revealed it to be an updated and rebranded version of Knight ransomware, itself an evolution of another ransomware known as Cyclops. Knight aka Cyclops 2.0 ransomware first arrived in May 2023, employing double extortion tactics to...

Black Basta Ransomware Strikes 500+ Entities Across North America, Europe, and Australia

The Black Basta ransomware-as-a-service RaaS operation has targeted more than 500 private industry and critical infrastructure entities in North America, Europe, and Australia since its emergence in April 2022. In a joint advisory published by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency...

GhostSec and Stormous Join Forces for a Ransomware Blitz

Summary: The GhostSec and Stormous ransomware factions have launched a sophisticated campaign. Introducing the GhostLocker 2.0 ransomware and the STMXGhostLocker ransomware-as-a-service RaaS initiative, these groups employ double extortion tactics, posing a significant threat to businesses...

You’re going to start seeing more tax-related spam, but remember, that doesn’t actually mean there’s more spam

Its that time of the year when not only do you have to be worried about filing your federal taxes in the U.S., you must also be on the lookout for a whole manner of tax-related scams. These are something that pop up every year through email, texts, phone calls and even physical mail -- phony...

Alert: GhostSec and Stormous Launch Joint Ransomware Attacks in Over 15 Countries

The cybercrime group called GhostSec has been linked to a Golang variant of a ransomware family called GhostLocker. "TheGhostSec and Stormous ransomware groups are jointly conducting double extortion ransomware attacks on various business verticals in multiple countries," Cisco Talos researcher...

GhostSec’s joint ransomware operation and evolution of their arsenal

Cisco Talos observed a surge in GhostSec, a hacking groups malicious activities since this past year. GhostSec has evolved with a new GhostLocker 2.0 ransomware, a Golang variant of the GhostLocker ransomware. The GhostSec and Stormous ransomware groups are jointly conducting double extortion...

RansomHouse am See

RansomHouse am See By Pham Duy Phuc in collaboration with Noël Keijzer and Michaël Schrijver from Northwave · February 14, 2024 This blog was also written by Max Kersten Ransom gangs make big bucks by extorting victims, which sadly isn’t new. Their lucrative business allows them not only to live...

Rhysida Ransomware Cracked, Free Decryption Tool Released

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered an "implementation vulnerability" that has made it possible to reconstruct encryption keys and decrypt data locked by Rhysida ransomware. The findings were published last week by a group of researchers from Kookmin University and the Korea Internet and...

The evolution of the Kuiper ransomware

Kuiper Ransomware’s Evolution By Trellix · January 17, 2024 This blog was written by Max Kersten The Golang-based Kuiper ransomware is presented as an opportunity for other criminals to make money by ransoming one or more targets. Additionally, RobinHood, the actor behind Kuiper, states that help...

FBI Takes Down BlackCat Ransomware, Releases Free Decryption Tool

The U.S. Justice Department DoJ has officially announced the disruption of the BlackCat ransomware operation and released a decryption tool that more than 500 affected victims can use to regain access to files locked by the malware. Court documents show that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigati...