VECT 2.0 Ransomware Irreversibly Destroys Files Over 131KB on Windows, Linux, ESXi

Threat hunters are warning that the cybercriminal operation known as VECT 2.0 acts more like a wiper than a ransomware due to a critical flaw in its encryption implementation across Windows, Linux, and ESXi variants that renders recovery impossible even for the threat actors. The fact that VECT's...

Unleashing the Kraken ransomware group

In August 2025, Cisco Talos observed big-game hunting and double extortion attacks carried out by Kraken, a Russian-speaking group that has emerged from the remnants of the HelloKitty ransomware cartel. Talos observed in one intrusion that the Kraken actor exploited Server Message Block SMB...

LockBit, Qilin, and DragonForce Join Forces to Dominate the Ransomware Ecosystem

Three prominent ransomware groups DragonForce, LockBit, and Qilin have announced a new strategic ransomware alliance, once underscoring continued shifts in the cyber threat landscape. The coalition is seen as an attempt on the part of the financially motivated threat actors to conduct more...