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...

BlackCat’s Resurgence Despite Law Enforcement Disruptions

Summary: Blackcat, a sophisticated Ransomware-as-a-Service operation, infiltrates networks using advanced social engineering and remote access tools, offering triple extortion tactics and cyber remediation advice for ransom payment, and resurged after a December 2023 disruption, causing widesprea...

Ransomware Reality Check: Deciphering Priorities in a Sea of Cyber Extortion

Welcome to a critical exploration of the 2023 Cyber Vulnerability Landscape, with a specific focus on the escalating threat of ransomware. I have previously shared the broader results we found in evaluating the 2023 threat landscape; this is now a deeper dive into what the data reveals specifical...

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...

Ransomware review: February 2024

This article is based on research by Marcelo Rivero, Malwarebytes ransomware specialist, who monitors information published by ransomware gangs on their Dark Web sites. In this report, "known attacks" are those where the victim did not pay a ransom. This provides the best overall picture of...

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...

What is Blackcat Ransomware

Begin This Exploration: Unraveling the Mysteries of PantheraNegra Malware As new forks in the road of online threats emerge, an innovative peril has cast its shadow in the digital landscape – a danger we have identified as PantheraNegra Malware. What sets PantheraNegra Malware apart? Let's unrave...

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...

A true tale of virtual kidnapping: Lock and Code S05E02

This week on the Lock and Code podcast… On Thursday, December 28, at 8:30 pm in the Utah town of Riverdale, the city police began investigating what they believed was a kidnapping. 17-year-old foreign exchange student Kai Zhuang was missing, and according to Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren,...

A true tale of virtual kidnapping: Lock and Code S05E02

This week on the Lock and Code podcast… On Thursday, December 28, at 8:30 pm in the Utah town of Riverdale, the city police began investigating what they believed was a kidnapping. 17-year-old foreign exchange student Kai Zhuang was missing, and according to Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren,...

Medusa Ransomware Unleashed A Growing Cybersecurity Menace

Summary: Medusa ransomware, a potent threat since late 2022, employs a multi-extortion approach via its Medusa Blog, disclosing victim data and pressuring non-compliant organizations. Operating as a ransomware-as-a-service, Medusas global impact underscores the need for proactive cybersecurity...

Medusa Ransomware on the Rise: From Data Leaks to Multi-Extortion

The threat actors associated with the Medusa ransomware have ramped up their activities following the debut of a dedicated data leak site on the dark web in February 2023 to publish sensitive data of victims who are unwilling to agree to their demands. "As part of their multi-extortion strategy,...

Video series discussing the major threat actor trends from 2023

In this video series, Talos Director of Threat Intelligence and Interdiction Matt Olney and Head of Outreach Nick Biasini share their insights on the most significant cybersecurity threats from the past year. From attacks on network infrastructure to the latest APT activities, as well as an updat...

British LAPSUS$ Teen Members Sentenced for High-Profile Attacks

Two British teens part of the LAPSUS$ cyber crime and extortion gang have been sentenced for their roles in orchestrating a string of high-profile attacks against a number of companies. Arion Kurtaj, an 18-year-old from Oxford, has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order due to his intent ...

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...

Play Ransomware A Global Threat Impacting Businesses

Summary: The Play ransomware group, active since June 2022, employs a double-extortion model, impacting businesses globally. Utilizing legitimate tools for malicious activities, the group has affected approximately 300 entities. Threat Level - Red | Attack Report For a detailed threat advisory,...

CISA and FBI Release Advisory on ALPHV Blackcat Affiliates

Today, CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory CSA, StopRansomware: ALPHV Blackcat, to disseminate known ALPHV Blackcat affiliates’ tactics, techniques, and procedures TTPs and indicators of compromise IOCs identified through FBI investigations as...

Double-Extortion Play Ransomware Strikes 300 Organizations Worldwide

The threat actors behind the Play ransomware are estimated to have impacted approximately 300 entities as of October 2023, according to a new joint cybersecurity advisory from Australia and the U.S. "Play ransomware actors employ a double-extortion model, encrypting systems after exfiltrating dat...

FBI, CISA, and ASD’s ACSC Release Advisory on Play Ransomware

Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA, and the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre ASD's ACSC released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory CSA, StopRansomware: Play Ransomware, to disseminate Play ransomware...

SpyLoan Scandal: 18 Malicious Loan Apps Defraud Millions of Android Users

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered 18 malicious loan apps for Android on the Google Play Store that have been collectively downloaded over 12 million times. "Despite their attractive appearance, these services are in fact designed to defraud users by offering them high-interest-rate loans...