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RaaS
ALPHV BlackCat Ransomware Cyber Attacks DigitalMint FBI RaaS

Former DigitalMint negotiator sentenced to 70 months for conspiring with BlackCat ransomware affiliates

 



A former ransomware negotiator who was hired to help organizations respond to cyber extortion incidents has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after admitting he secretly worked with BlackCat ransomware affiliates, using confidential client information to increase ransom payments while participating in additional ransomware attacks.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Angelo Martino, 41, abused his position at incident response firm DigitalMint by sharing privileged information obtained during ransomware negotiations with BlackCat, also tracked as ALPHV. Prosecutors said the information allowed the ransomware group to negotiate from a stronger position while victims remained unaware that details intended to protect them had been disclosed to the attackers.

As part of his role, Martino managed active ransomware cases for organizations seeking assistance after cyberattacks. His work gave him access to confidential information that companies typically share only with trusted negotiators, including cyber insurance policy limits, internal assessments of how much they were prepared to pay, and negotiation strategies developed during incident response.

According to court documents, Martino began providing that information to BlackCat operators in April 2023. Prosecutors said he communicated with the group through multiple channels connected to BlackCat's extortion platform. While one conversation took place through the standard negotiation interface used during ransomware incidents, he also relied on an intermediary chat feature within the group's panel and the encrypted messaging application Tox to exchange information directly with the attackers outside the victims' view.

Federal prosecutors said those private communications were intended to help BlackCat maximize ransom demands. In exchange for sharing confidential information, including insurance coverage limits and the negotiating positions of victim organizations, Martino received a portion of the cryptocurrency paid by ransomware victims.

The Justice Department said five organizations whose cases were handled by Martino collectively paid more than $75 million to BlackCat affiliates between April and September 2023. Prosecutors argued that access to confidential negotiation data enabled the attackers to demand higher payments than they otherwise might have secured. The affected organizations operated in the financial services, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors, with several experiencing operational disruption alongside the financial losses associated with the attacks.

Investigators also determined that Martino later became an active participant in BlackCat's ransomware operation. In May 2023, he obtained affiliate access to the ransomware-as-a-service platform, permissions generally granted to trusted partners responsible for compromising victim networks and deploying the malware.

Court filings state that Martino shared those affiliate credentials with Kevin Martin and Ryan Goldberg, both cybersecurity professionals. The three men subsequently carried out additional ransomware attacks and agreed to divide ransom proceeds among themselves while paying 20% of each payment to BlackCat's administrators in exchange for continued access to the group's malware and extortion infrastructure.

One attack targeted a medical device manufacturer that ultimately paid approximately $1.2 million in ransom. Other organizations refused to pay but still incurred costs associated with business interruption, system recovery, and incident response following the attacks.

Prosecutors said Martino received millions of dollars in cryptocurrency through the conspiracy. Federal investigators recovered and seized more than $10 million in assets connected to the case, although authorities said some proceeds had already been used to purchase residential properties, vehicles, and a boat. As part of his sentence, Martino must forfeit assets linked to the criminal activity and pay 10% of his future income following his release from prison.

Before sentencing, Martino requested a reduced 24-month prison term, citing his cooperation with investigators during the prosecution of his co-conspirators. Martin and Goldberg were each sentenced to four years in prison earlier this year after pleading guilty for their involvement in the BlackCat attacks.

"Angelo Martino sold out the very victims he was hired to represent, handing their confidential negotiating positions to BlackCat actors to drive up ransoms and enrich himself," FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman said following the sentencing.

BlackCat operates as a ransomware-as-a-service platform, providing malware and extortion infrastructure to affiliates that compromise organizations and share a percentage of ransom payments with the group's administrators. The FBI has linked the operation to more than 1,000 victims and at least $300 million in ransom payments through September 2023. Although law enforcement disrupted parts of the group's infrastructure and previously released a decryptor for some victims, affiliates continued launching attacks after those actions.

DigitalMint said it was unaware of Martino's conduct until it was contacted by the Department of Justice and described itself as another victim of the scheme. The company said the employees involved were terminated immediately after the allegations came to light and that it fully cooperated with investigators throughout the criminal investigation.

The company also said Martino deliberately bypassed internal safeguards by communicating with threat actors through unauthorized channels that were not visible within its monitoring systems. According to DigitalMint, its security controls aligned with industry practices, but the unauthorized communications were intentionally concealed from the company's oversight mechanisms.

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Ransomware
AI Cyber Attacks Cyber Extortion LLMs LockBit qilin RaaS Ransomware

Ransomware activity climbs in Q2 2026 as leading gangs consolidate attacks and AI streamlines extortion efforts

 


Ransomware groups claimed responsibility for 2,279 attacks worldwide during the second quarter of 2026, marking a 7% increase from the previous quarter and a 43% jump compared with the same period last year, according to GuidePoint Security's latest quarterly ransomware report. Researchers also recorded the highest number of active ransomware groups seen in a single quarter, reflecting an ecosystem that continues to attract new threat actors even as attacks remain concentrated among a relatively small number of established operations.

Despite the growing number of ransomware groups, a handful of operators continue to dominate victim claims. GuidePoint found that the five most active groups were collectively responsible for more than 40% of all publicly reported ransomware incidents during the quarter, suggesting that while new groups continue to emerge, only a few have achieved sustained operational scale.

Qilin remained the most active ransomware operation during Q2, accounting for approximately 13% of all recorded victim claims. It was closely followed by The Gentlemen, a comparatively new group that has expanded rapidly in recent months. Together with Akira and DragonForce, the two groups make up what GuidePoint describes as a "four-headed monster," representing the most prolific ransomware operations currently shaping the threat landscape.

Rather than relying on a single dominant ransomware syndicate, today's ransomware ecosystem is distributed across several highly active groups capable of absorbing affiliates from disrupted operations. Researchers noted that this structure could reduce the long-term impact of law enforcement takedowns, as affiliates displaced from one ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) platform may quickly transition to another established operation without substantially disrupting attack activity.

The United States remained the country most frequently targeted by ransomware groups during the quarter, accounting for 40% of publicly claimed victims. Germany ranked second with 32%. However, GuidePoint observed a noticeable shift in targeting patterns, with the U.S. accounting for a smaller proportion of victims than in previous quarters, when roughly half of all reported incidents involved American organizations.

Researchers linked this broader geographic distribution to increased activity from groups including Qilin, The Gentlemen and LockBit, each of which claimed a larger share of victims outside the United States during Q2. The findings suggest that ransomware affiliates are expanding their operations across a wider range of regions instead of concentrating primarily on U.S.-based organizations.

Alongside changes in victim targeting, the report examined how artificial intelligence is being incorporated into ransomware operations. While concerns have grown around the possibility of AI creating entirely new forms of cyberattacks, GuidePoint found little evidence to support that scenario. Instead, threat actors are primarily using large language models (LLMs) to accelerate tasks that previously required significant manual effort, allowing them to improve efficiency without fundamentally changing their attack methods.

One case study highlighted in the report involved the data extortion group FulcrumSec. After obtaining a large volume of stolen information, the group reportedly used an LLM to examine complex databases and identify individuals appearing across multiple datasets. According to researchers, completing this level of analysis manually would have required either extensive knowledge of the victim's database architecture or a substantial investment of time by human operators.

The information extracted from the stolen data was then paired with AI-generated negotiation messages written in English. By demonstrating a detailed understanding of the compromised information, FulcrumSec strengthened its position during ransom negotiations, providing victims with evidence of the data in its possession while using those findings to justify its ransom demands.

GuidePoint also documented DragonForce's use of large language models during extortion negotiations. Researchers said the group generated convincing messages that sought to increase pressure on victims, including claims that it had legal counsel available to advise its operations. Although the report describes that assertion as almost certainly false, it illustrates how AI can help cybercriminals produce persuasive communications intended to exploit concerns around regulatory obligations, legal consequences and reputational damage.

According to the researchers, the effectiveness of these messages does not necessarily depend on their accuracy. Instead, their value lies in presenting information in a manner that appears credible enough to influence decision-making during negotiations. Large language models, which are capable of generating fluent and convincing text within seconds, are increasingly being used to support these psychological tactics.

Taken together, the findings indicate that AI is currently serving as an operational force multiplier rather than introducing an entirely new category of ransomware attacks. Tasks such as analyzing stolen data, organizing information, preparing victim communications and drafting negotiation messages can now be completed more quickly, enabling threat actors to devote more time to other stages of their operations.

At the same time, the continued concentration of attacks among a small group of highly active ransomware operations suggests that scale, organization and affiliate networks remain key drivers of today's ransomware economy. While new groups continue to enter the ecosystem, a limited number of established operators continue to account for a disproportionate share of publicly claimed attacks, reinforcing their influence across the global ransomware ecosystem.

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software
Cybersecurity Hyadina Microsoft PoisonX RaaS ransomware software

Microsoft-Signed Driver Used to Disable Security Software in GodDamn Ransomware Attacks

 


A ransomware group known as Hyadina has been observed using a Microsoft-signed Windows kernel driver to disable endpoint security software before deploying its latest ransomware variant, GodDamn, according to researchers at Symantec. The campaign combines trusted administrative software, publicly available offensive security tools and a signed kernel driver to establish control over victim environments before encrypting systems.

Hyadina has operated as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) group for approximately four years, evolving its malware from earlier variants known as Beast and Monster to its current GodDamn locker. The group primarily targets organizations in the United States while reportedly avoiding victims in former Soviet countries. Previous attacks have affected organizations across healthcare, manufacturing, education and several other industries.

Symantec was unable to determine how the attackers initially gained access to the compromised environment. The first confirmed activity appeared on May 29, when an unauthorized copy of AnyDesk was discovered inside the Music folder of an infected system. Although AnyDesk is legitimate remote access software widely used for IT support, threat actors frequently abuse remote monitoring and management applications because they provide persistent access while blending into normal administrative activity.

The following day, the attackers deployed an executable named symantec.exe, which installed a kernel-mode driver called PoisonX. Running in the Windows kernel gives a driver the highest level of system privileges, allowing it to interact directly with core operating system functions. According to Symantec, PoisonX carried a valid Microsoft Hardware Compatibility signature, enabling Windows to load the driver as trusted.

Once active, PoisonX terminated security-related processes and removed user-mode API hooks commonly used by endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor application behavior. By disabling those monitoring mechanisms, the attackers reduced the visibility of security software before carrying out the remaining stages of the intrusion.

With endpoint protections weakened, Hyadina expanded its operation using a collection of credential theft and reconnaissance utilities. Investigators observed fourteen open-source tools designed to recover credentials from web browsers, email clients and instant messaging applications, as well as utilities capable of extracting Wi-Fi credentials and capturing live network traffic. All but one of those tools originated from NirSoft, which publishes legitimate Windows administration utilities. The remaining tool, Mimikatz, is widely known for extracting credentials and authentication material from Windows systems and is frequently abused during post-compromise activity.

The attackers also relied on PsExec, Microsoft's remote administration utility, to move laterally across the victim's network. Combined with legitimate remote management software, credential theft utilities and the signed kernel driver, the attackers were able to strengthen their foothold across multiple systems before deploying the GodDamn ransomware payload.

Symantec also examined the origins of PoisonX. The driver was uploaded to GitHub on April 7 by a developer using the name oxfemale, who described it as a research tool. The developer regularly publishes offensive security projects, including exploit proof-of-concepts, credential stealers and software designed to disable antivirus products, while identifying themselves on LinkedIn as a Russian security researcher specializing in reverse engineering and penetration testing. Symantec, however, considers PoisonX to be malware because its primary function is to disable security protections rather than support legitimate defensive research. Researchers said it remains unclear how the driver obtained Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility signature or whether the signing process was manipulated.

Microsoft maintains a Vulnerable Driver Blocklist to prevent known malicious or exploitable drivers from loading, even when they possess valid signatures. However, Symantec noted that newly identified drivers are not added to the blocklist immediately. Updates can take days or, in some cases, weeks to reach enterprise systems, leaving a window during which attackers can continue using newly signed or newly discovered drivers before defensive protections are updated.

Commenting on the broader use of legitimate software during ransomware intrusions, Symantec's Brigid O Gorman noted that nearly any administrative or security tool can become malicious when misused. She said this makes behavioral and adaptive security controls particularly important because they focus on suspicious activity rather than relying solely on known malicious files or applications. In the case of Hyadina, that combination of trusted software, publicly available offensive tools and a signed kernel driver enabled the attackers to disable security protections, steal credentials, move laterally through the environment and ultimately deploy ransomware.

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RaaS
Anubis Citrix Bleed 2 data security Extortion malware RaaS

Anubis Ransomware Gang Attacks Again, Exploit Remote Access


Hackers linked with Anubis ransomware operation were found abusing the Citrix Bleed 2 (CVE-2025-5777) flaw to find initial access. 

According to Arctic Wolf, the techniques vary among different affiliates, and few patterns surfaced in tradecraft via authentic Remote Management and Monitoring (RMM) tooling, hands-on-keyboard procedures and credential access. 

Anubis also exploited authentic remote access and admin tools such as MeshAgent, Total Software Deployment, ScreenConnect, UltraVNC, and Zoho Assist to merge with usual IT operations while handling control of target systems.

About Anubis 

Anubis is a RaaS gang that first surfaced in late 2024 as a spinoff of Sphinx ransomware. The ransomware campaign was first disclosed on the Ransomware and Advanced Malware Protection (RAMP) darkweb forum in February last year. As per the data from Ransomware.Live, the cybercrime gang has taken responsibility for 91 victims on its data leak website, with 11 targets in June 2026.

Areas impacted

Some significant areas attacked are business services, technology, financial services, healthcare, and technology. Above 50% of the targets are based in the U.S, then U.K, Australia, France, and Canada.

Rubrik Zero Labs published a report in July 2025 which said Anubis promotes promising profit splits, which offers 80% of the ransom paid, and combines it with a data wiping (irresistible) feature to further blackmail the victims to pay upfront.

Experts at Rubrik said that “when Anubis's /WIPEMODE module is activated, files remain in directories but are reduced to a 0 KB size regardless of ransom payment.” The experts added that when “Anubis changes ransomware’s traditional strategic calculus, it creates powerful incentives for motivated threat actors to deploy Anubis in pursuit of lucrative returns.”

The impact

Commenting on the severity of the attack, Rubrik said that, “Knowing threat actors can revert victims' environments to this scorched-earth state with a single command significantly increases pressure on victims to pay before the wiper is fully activated.”

The ransomware incidents in 2026 consist both exploitation of CVE-2025-5777 (CVSS score: 9.3), a severe flaw affecting Citrix Net and valid VPN credential use.

The source of VPN credentials in these attacks is unknown, but experts say that they are likely to be collected after the first compromise, or via credential stuffing, initial access brokers (IABs), or information stealer operations.  

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RaaS
Cloud Cyber Attacks Cyber Attacks. Ransomware Extortion Japan RaaS

Firms in Japan at Risk of Ransomware Threats, Government Measures Insufficient


There is no indication that ransomware assaults against Japanese businesses will stop. Major online retailer Askul Corp. experienced a cyberattack in October that resulted in system interruptions, following an attack on Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. Government authorities are finding it difficult to keep up with the situation.

The ransomware profit 

According to some estimates, a complete system recovery could take several months. Asahi is thought to have been employing a large-scale operations system that linked ordering, shipping, human resources, and accounting administration. 

A hacker collective known as Qilin claimed responsibility for this most recent attack in a statement released on a dark web website on October 27. The group claimed to have stolen approximately 9,300 files totaling at least 27 gigabytes, and they shared 29 photos that they felt showed Asahi's internal documents and employee personal information.

About Quilin

Qilin is thought to be a hacker collective with ties to Russia that was established around 2022. The gang reportedly released over 700 statements claiming responsibility for ransomware attacks in 2025 alone, when it started to become more active. 

Additionally, Qilin uses a business model called "Ransomware as a Service" (RaaS), whereby it offers third parties ransomware programs and attack techniques as a service. Even anyone without a high level of technological competence can conduct assaults utilizing RaaS. 

The creation of ransomware and the implementation of the attacks have been split between many players who split ransom payments, whereas in the past, virus writers frequently carried out the operations individually. These company strategies seem to have gained popularity in recent years.

Attack tactics

Hackers typically breach a company's networks to prevent access to data and threaten to release it. This is referred regarded as a double extortion strategy. 

To make businesses pay, some hackers even go so far as to use triple or quadruple extortion. These include direct threats to the targeted company's clients and business partners or frequent distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that flood servers with data.  

According to reports, these techniques are become more malevolent. The majority of specialists concur that payments should not be made in principle, and even if a business pays the ransom, there is no assurance that the data would be released.




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Ransomware
Businesses Cyber Attacks nord stellar RaaS Ransomware

Ransomware Attacks Surge in 2025, With Smaller Businesses and Manufacturers Most Affected

 



Ransomware threats are rising fast in 2025, with the first half of the year already showing a sharp increase in attacks. New research shows that U.S.-based companies, small and medium-sized businesses, and firms in the manufacturing sector are currently among the top targets for these cybercriminal campaigns.

Between January and June this year, nearly 4,200 ransomware incidents were made public on the dark web. That’s a 49% jump compared to the same time period in 2024, according to recent findings by cybersecurity firm NordStellar.

Experts suggest that several factors may be driving this rise. These include the growing use of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) — a model where criminal groups rent out ransomware tools to others, as well as challenges related to remote or hybrid working setups. Additionally, ongoing economic struggles may be pushing more individuals toward illegal activities, including cybercrime.

In terms of geography, the United States experienced the highest number of attacks, with 596 cases. This accounted for nearly half of all reported incidents worldwide. Other affected countries included Germany (84 cases), Canada (74), the UK (40), and Spain (37). Analysts believe that U.S. companies are often targeted because of their size, visibility, and the potential financial damage of a public attack. These businesses are more likely to pay the ransom quickly to avoid reputational harm.

Tight regulations around data privacy and system availability may also push organizations to resolve incidents faster, especially if they fear penalties or losing client trust.

The manufacturing sector was hit particularly hard, with 223 reported cases. Construction (97 incidents) and the IT industry (88) followed close behind. Experts point out that many of these organizations rely on older systems that lack regular updates, and they often operate in multiple locations, making cybersecurity harder to manage across the board.

Small to mid-sized firms, especially those with 51 to 200 employees and annual revenue between $5 million and $25 million, faced the most ransomware attempts. Researchers say this may be because these companies often depend on third-party IT providers and don’t always have strong internal security policies.

As for which ransomware gangs are most active in 2025, the group known as Qilin leads with 214 reported attacks. SafePay, allegedly linked to a recent incident involving a global tech distributor, followed with 201 cases, and Akira came in third with 200.

Cybersecurity professionals continue to emphasize basic but crucial practices: employee training on phishing threats, use of multi-factor authentication, and better password protection. Beyond that, building a full-scale cybersecurity plan is key to identifying and stopping threats early, before they cause widespread damage.

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Ransomware
AI Data data security Internet Privacy RaaS Ransomware

Cybercrime Gang Hunters International Shuts Down, Returns Stolen Data as Goodwill

Cybercrime Gang Hunters International Shuts Down, Returns Stolen Data as Goodwill

Cybercrime gang to return stolen data

The Hunters International Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation has recently announced that it is shutting down its operation and will provide free decryptors to help targets recover their data without paying a ransom. 

"After careful consideration and in light of recent developments, we have decided to close the Hunters International project. This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact it has on the organizations we have interacted with," the cybercrime gang said. 

Hunter International claims goodwill

As a goodwill gesture to victims affected by the gang’s previous operations, it is helping them recover data without requiring them to pay ransoms. The gang has also removed all entries from the extortion portal and stated that organizations whose systems were encrypted in the Hunters International ransomware attacks can request assistance and recovery guidance on the group’s official website.

Gang rebranding?

The gang has not explained the “recent developments” it referred to, the recent announcement comes after a November 17 statement announcing Hunters International will soon close down due to strict law enforcement actions and financial losses. 

In April, Group-IB researchers said the group was rebranding with the aim to focus on extortion-only and data theft attacks and launched “World Leaks”- a new extortion-only operation. Group-IB said that “unlike Hunters International, which combined encryption with extortion, World Leaks operates as an extortion-only group using a custom-built exfiltration tool. The new tool looks like an advanced version of the Storage Software exfiltration tool used by Hunter International’s ransomware associates.

The emergence of Hunter International

Hunter International surfaced in 2023, and cybersecurity experts flagged it as a rebrand of as it showed code similarities. The ransomware gang targeted Linux, ESXi (VMware servers), Windows, FreeBSD, and SunOS. In the past two years, Hunter International has attacked businesses of all sizes, demanding ransom up to millions of dollars. 

The gang was responsible for around 300 operations globally. Some famous victims include the U.S Marshals Service, Tata Technologies, Japanese optics mammoth Hoya, U.S Navy contractor Austal USA, Oklahoma’s largest not-for-profit healthcare Integris Health, AutoCanada, and a North American automobile dealership. Last year, Hunter International attacked the Fred Hutch Cancer Center and blackmailed to leak stolen data of more than 800,000 cancer patients if ransom was not paid.

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VPN
At-Bay Cyber Security CyberCrime Cyberhackers CyberThreat Digital Threat RaaS Ransomware remote access VPN

Increasing Exploitation of Remote Access Tools Highlights Ransomware Risks

 


Among the latest findings from cybersecurity insurance provider At-Bay, ransomware incidents witnessed a significant resurgence in 2024, with both the frequency and the severity of these attacks escalating significantly. Based on the firm's 2025 InsurSec Report, ransomware activity rose 20 percent from the previous year, returning to the high level of threat that had been experienced in 2021, when ransomware activity soared to 20 per cent. 

There is an overwhelmingly large number of remote access tools and virtual private networks (VPNS) that have been exploited as entry points for these attacks, according to the report. In particular, mid-market organisations, particularly those with annual revenues between $25 million and $100 million, have been severely hit by this surge, with targeted incidents on the rise by 46 per cent. As a result of the At-Bay claims data, it is apparent that the severity of ransomware breaches has increased by 13 per cent year over year, highlighting how sophisticated and financially destructive these threats are becoming. 

It was also found that attacks originating from third parties, such as vendors and service providers, have increased by 43 per cent, compounding the risk. It is also important to note that the economic toll of these supply chain-related incidents increased by 72 per cent on average, which increased the overall cost associated with them. This study highlights the need to reassess the cybersecurity postures of businesses, especially those that are reliant on remote access infrastructure, as well as strengthen defences across the entire digital ecosystem. 

A study published by At-Bay highlights the widespread misuse of conventional cybersecurity tools, particularly those intended to enhance remote connectivity, as well as the deterioration of the effectiveness of traditional cybersecurity tools. Virtual private networks (VPNS) and remote access software, which are frequently deployed to ensure secure access to internal systems from off-site, are increasingly being repurposed as a gateway for malicious activities. 

As a matter of fact, At-Bay’s analysis illustrates a concerning trend that threatens the flexibility of work environments. Threat actors are frequently exploiting these same tools to get access to corporate networks, extract sensitive data, and carry out disruptive operations. Due to their visibility on the public internet, cybercriminals are actively searching for potential vulnerabilities in these systems to attack them. 

The Remote Access Tools are essentially a front door that provides access to your company's network and can typically be viewed by the general public. For that reason, remote access tools are prone to being attacked by attackers, according to Adam Tyra, Chief Information Security Officer for At-Bay's customer service department. In addition to this, the report highlights the disproportionately high risk posed by mid-sized enterprises, which generate annual revenue of between $25 million and $100 million. 

The number of direct ransomware claims has increased significantly within the segment, which highlights both the increased exposure to cyber threats as well as the potential limitations in resources available to defend against them. As part of this report, the authors point out that “remote” ransomware activity has increased dramatically, a tactic that has gained considerable traction among threat actors over the past few years. 

In 2024, this type of attack is expected to have increased by 50 per cent compared to the year before, representing an astounding 141 per cent increase since the year 2022. As far as traditional endpoint detection systems are concerned, remote ransomware campaigns are typically carried out by unmanaged or personal devices. In these kinds of attacks, rather than deploying a malicious payload directly onto the victim's machine, networks file-sharing protocols are used to access and encrypt data between connected systems by using the network file-sharing protocol. Therefore, the encryption process is often undetected by conventional security tools, such as malware scanners and behaviour-based defences. 

These stealth-oriented methodologies pose a growing challenge to organizations, particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBS), as a result of this stealth-oriented methodology. In the study conducted by Sophos Managed Detection and Response (MDR), the most common threat vector in the SMB sector is ransomware and data exfiltration, which accounted for nearly 30 per cent of all cases tracked within this sector. 

Even though sophisticated attack techniques are on the rise, the overall volume of ransomware-related events in 2024 saw a slight decline in volume compared with 2023 despite the rise in sophisticated attack techniques. There has been a marginal decrease in ransomware-as-a-service (Raas) incidents. 

The advancement of defensive technologies and the dismantling of several of the most high-profile ransomware-as-a-service (Raas) operations have both contributed to this decline. This combined study emphasises the urgent need for businesses to modernise their cybersecurity strategies, invest in proactive threat detection, and strengthen the security of their remote access infrastructure to combat cybercrime. 

With the development of ransomware tactics in complexity and scale, the resilience of organisations targeted by these threats has also evolved. As a result of these developments, organisations are increasingly expected to reevaluate their risk management frameworks to adopt a more proactive cybersecurity policy. To ensure that a robust defense strategy is implemented, it is imperative that remote access security systems are secured and access controls are implemented and advanced monitoring capabilities are deployed. 

Besides raising awareness of cybersecurity throughout the workforce and fostering close cooperation between technology and insurance partners, it is also possible to significantly reduce the risk of ransomware being a threat to organisations. In the wake of cyber adversaries that keep improving their methods, businesses will have to take not only technical measures to strengthen their resilience, but also a wide range of strategic measures to anticipate and neutralise emergent attack vectors before they can cause significant damage.
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Ransomwares
CISA & FBI CISA advisory Cyber Attacks Malwares Medusa Attacks Medusa Ransomware RaaS ransomware attacks ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) Ransomwares

Medusa Ransomware Attacks: CISA, FBI, and MS-ISAC Issue #StopRansomware Advisory

 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in partnership with the FBI and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), has issued a #StopRansomware advisory, warning organizations about the increasing threat of Medusa ransomware. 

Medusa, a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) variant, was first detected in 2021 and has since targeted over 300 victims across multiple critical infrastructure sectors. Industries such as healthcare, law, education, insurance, technology, and manufacturing have been particularly affected, highlighting the wide reach and severity of the ransomware’s impact. Medusa initially operated as a closed ransomware variant, meaning its developers had full control over its deployment and operations. 

Over time, it transitioned to an affiliate-based model, allowing external cybercriminals to use the ransomware while keeping certain aspects, such as ransom negotiations, under the control of the original developers. This shift has allowed Medusa to expand its reach, increasing its effectiveness as a cyber threat. Medusa demands ransoms ranging from $100,000 to as much as $15 million. 

Like many modern ransomware variants, it employs double extortion tactics—stealing sensitive data before encrypting victim networks. This strategy puts additional pressure on victims, as attackers can threaten to leak or sell stolen data if the ransom is not paid. Cybersecurity researchers from Symantec’s Threat Hunter team recently reported a rise in Medusa-related attacks over the past year. 

Medusa’s developers use initial access brokers (IABs) to gain entry into victim networks. These brokers operate within cybercriminal forums and marketplaces, selling access to compromised systems for amounts ranging from $100 to $1 million. Medusa affiliates rely on phishing campaigns and vulnerability exploitation to gain initial access, making it crucial for organizations to bolster their email security and patch known vulnerabilities. Once inside a system, Medusa operators use “living-off-the-land” (LotL) techniques, leveraging legitimate system tools to evade detection while conducting reconnaissance, data theft, and lateral movement.

Given Medusa’s evolving tactics, cybersecurity experts stress the importance of proactive defense measures. Organizations should deploy security patches, implement network segmentation, and restrict access to critical services from untrusted sources. Dan Lattimer, area vice president for Semperis in the UK and Ireland, emphasized the need for an “assumed breach” mindset, urging companies to shift from a prevention-focused approach to rapid detection, response, and recovery. 

As ransomware attacks grow more sophisticated, organizations must remain vigilant, continuously updating their cybersecurity strategies to mitigate risks and strengthen their defenses against threats like Medusa.
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Ransomwares
AI Attack Cyber Attacks cybercrime group Data Leak Hacktivism RaaS Ransom Demand Ransomware attack Ransomwares

FunkSec Ransomware Group: AI-Powered Cyber Threat Targeting Global Organizations

 

A new ransomware group, FunkSec, has emerged as a growing concern within the cybersecurity community after launching a series of attacks in late 2024. Reports indicate that the group has carried out over 80 cyberattacks, signaling a strategic blend of hacktivism and cybercrime. According to recent findings, FunkSec’s activities suggest that its members are relatively new to the cyber threat landscape but have been using artificial intelligence (AI) to amplify their capabilities and expand their reach. 

FunkSec’s ransomware, developed using the Rust programming language, has caught the attention of security analysts due to its complexity and efficiency. Investigations suggest that AI tools may have been used to assist in coding and refining the malware, enabling the attackers to bypass security defenses more effectively. A suspected Algerian-based developer is believed to have inadvertently leaked portions of the ransomware’s code online, providing cybersecurity researchers with valuable insights into its functionality. 

Operating under a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) framework, FunkSec offers its malware to affiliates, who then carry out attacks in exchange for a percentage of the ransom collected. Their approach involves double extortion tactics—encrypting critical files while simultaneously threatening to publish stolen information unless the victim meets their financial demands. To facilitate their operations, FunkSec has launched an underground data leak website, where they advertise stolen data and offer additional cybercrime tools, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack capabilities, credential theft utilities, and remote access software that allows for covert control of compromised systems. 

The origins of FunkSec date back to October 2024, when an online persona known as “Scorpion” introduced the group in underground forums. Additional figures, including “El_Farado” and “Bjorka,” have been linked to its expansion. Investigators have noted discrepancies in FunkSec’s communications, with some materials appearing professionally written in contrast to their typical informal style. This has led experts to believe that AI-generated content is being used to improve their messaging and phishing tactics, making them appear more credible to potential victims. 

FunkSec’s ransomware is designed to disable security features such as antivirus programs, logging mechanisms, and backup systems before encrypting files with a “.funksec” extension. The group’s ransom demands are relatively modest, often starting at around $10,000, making their attacks more accessible to a wide range of potential victims. Additionally, they have been known to sell stolen data at discounted rates to other threat actors, further extending their influence within the cybercriminal ecosystem. Beyond financial motives, FunkSec has attempted to align itself with hacktivist causes, targeting entities in countries like the United States and India in support of movements such as Free Palestine. 

However, cybersecurity analysts have expressed skepticism over the authenticity of their claims, noting that some of the data they leak appears to have been recycled from previous breaches. While FunkSec may be a relatively new player in the cyber threat landscape, their innovative use of AI and evolving tactics make them a significant threat. Security experts emphasize the importance of proactive measures such as regular system updates, employee training on cybersecurity best practices, and the implementation of robust access controls to mitigate the risks posed by emerging ransomware threats like FunkSec.
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Ransomware
Artificial Intelligence cryptocurrency Cyber Security RaaS Ransomware

Understanding Ransomware: A Persistent Cyber Threat

 


Ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to files until a ransom is paid. Over the past 35 years, it has evolved from simple attacks into a global billion-dollar industry. In 2023 alone, ransomware victims reportedly paid approximately $1 billion, primarily in cryptocurrency, underscoring the massive scale of the problem.

The First Recorded Ransomware Attack

The first known ransomware attack occurred in 1989. Joseph Popp, a biologist, distributed infected floppy disks under the guise of software analyzing susceptibility to AIDS. Once installed, the program encrypted file names and, after 90 uses, hid directories before displaying a ransom demand. Victims were instructed to send a cashier’s check to an address in Panama to unlock their files.

This incident, later dubbed the "AIDS Trojan," marked the dawn of ransomware attacks. At the time, the term "ransomware" was unknown, and cybersecurity communities were unprepared for such threats. Popp was eventually apprehended but deemed unfit for trial due to erratic behaviour.

Evolution of Ransomware

Ransomware has undergone significant changes since its inception:

  • 2004 – The Rise of GPCode: A new variant, "GPCode," used phishing emails to target individuals. Victims were lured by fraudulent job offers and tricked into downloading infected attachments. The malware encrypted their files, demanding payment via wire transfer.
  • 2013 – Cryptocurrency and Professional Operations: By the early 2010s, ransomware operations became more sophisticated. Cybercriminals began demanding cryptocurrency payments for anonymity and irreversibility. The "CryptoLocker" ransomware, infamous for its efficiency, marked the emergence of "ransomware-as-a-service," enabling less skilled attackers to launch widespread attacks.
  • 2017 – Global Disruptions: Major attacks like WannaCry and Petya caused widespread disruptions, affecting industries worldwide and highlighting the growing menace of ransomware.

The Future of Ransomware

Ransomware is expected to evolve further, with experts predicting its annual cost could reach $265 billion by 2031. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are likely to play a role in creating more sophisticated malware and delivering targeted attacks more effectively.

Despite advancements, simpler attacks remain highly effective. Cybersecurity experts emphasize the importance of vigilance and proactive defense strategies. Understanding ransomware’s history and anticipating future challenges are key to mitigating this persistent cyber threat.

Knowledge and preparedness remain the best defenses against ransomware. By staying informed and implementing robust security measures, individuals and organizations can better protect themselves from this evolving menace.

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Ransomware
Cyber Crime LockBit RaaS Ransomware

Look Who’s Back: LockBit Gears Up for a Comeback With Version 4.0

 



The infamous LockBit ransomware group has announced its return with the upcoming release of LockBit 4.0, set for February 2025. This marks a big moment for the group, which has had major setbacks over the last year. A global law enforcement crackdown shut down its operations, with arrests and recovery of nearly 7,000 decryption keys. As other ransomware groups like RansomHub take the lead, it remains uncertain if LockBit can reclaim its former dominance.  


Challenges Facing LockBit’s Return

LockBit's return is definitely not in the cards, though. The group did a lot of damage to itself, mainly because law enforcement was doing their job and newer Ransomware groups were outperforming it. Probably, the development of this 4.0 version involves deep changes in its codebase since the previous variant had been compromised. Experts therefore wonder whether LockBit manages to overcome these obstacles or gets back into the crowded field of ransomware services.

Another emerging favorite is ransomware-as-a-service, where groups start to sell their tools and infrastructure to affiliates in a specific ratio of the profits being extracted by that affiliate. LockBit will find itself competing not just with opponents such as RansomHub but also with variants from the same ransomware assembled using leaked source code.


What to Expect With LockBit 4.0

The group's announcement for LockBit 4.0 has bold claims, enticing potential affiliates with promises of wealth and success. The official launch is scheduled for February 3, 2025, and keys are provided to access their dark web leak site. While specific details about the 4.0 version are unclear, cybersecurity researchers are closely monitoring its development.

The group may also change its tactics to stay off the radar of international law enforcement. In the past, LockBit has been criticized for hitting high-profile victims, including the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children in 2022. After public backlash, the group issued an apology and provided a free decryption key, an unusual move for a ransomware organization.  


The Future

LockBit's ability to stage a successful comeback will depend on its capacity to adapt to the challenges it faces. With competitors gaining ground and its credibility in question, the group's path forward is uncertain. Cybersecurity experts will be watching closely to see how LockBit 4.0 impacts the ransomware infrastructure.

For now, organizations are advised to remain vigilant, as ransomware groups continue to improvise their tactics. Implementing robust security measures and staying informed about emerging threats are critical steps in defending against such attacks.



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Ransomware
Encryption malware NHS Obfuscation Technique Qilin RaaS Ransomware

NEW Qilin Ransomware Variant Emerges with Improved Evasion Techniques

 



A much more potent version of the Qilin ransomware has been found, according to cybersecurity experts, showing a new and revamped kind that is ready to attack core systems using advanced encryption along with improved stealth techniques.


A Rebranding with a Twist: Qilin's Evolution

The Qilin ransomware operation, which first appeared in July 2022, has now morphed into a more formidable opponent with a new version dubbed "Qilin.B." Known previously as "Agenda," the malware was rebranded and rewritten in Rust, a programming language harder to detect and often used for high-performance systems. The Qilin group is notorious for demanding multi-million dollar ransoms, focusing on high-stakes sectors such as healthcare, where operational disruptions can be particularly severe.

Qilin's latest incarnation has been a powerful tool in mass-attack campaigns. Just last year, a significant cyber attack was launched against Synnovis, a pathology firm providing services to the United Kingdom's NHS, which resulted in the cancellation of thousands of hospital and family doctor appointments. In return for collaborating on campaigns, Qilin partners are promised a large percentage of ransom payments, up to 85% — an arrangement that is structured to encourage high-paying ransomware attacks with the highest payoffs.


Improved Encryption and Obfuscation

This variant, Qilin.B, has the following methods that make their detection a hard nut to crack by the standard systems of security. According to Halcyon, a research firm specialising in cybersecurity, enhanced encryption, such as AES-256-CTR systems that support AESNI, together with RSA-4096 and OAEP padding have been seen in this particular variant. Such standards ensure that decrypting files from this threat is impossible minus the private key, as the case of preventive actions being the only way forward.

Further, the obfuscation technique is available in Qilin.B with which the developers hide the coding language of malware in order to prevent detection via signature-based detection systems. Such evasion mechanisms make the detection and quick response even more difficult by the cyber security teams in case of infections. As reported by the researchers from Halcyon, who had studied malware upgrades, increasing sophistication can be seen in ransomware tactics, specifically Qilin.B was developed to resist reverse engineering as well as delay incident response.


New Tactics to Dodge System Defences

Qilin.B disables important system services such as backup and removes volume shadow copy to prevent rollback of the infected systems. In addition, it disables restarts and self-cleans up by removing the ransomware after a successful attack to minimise digital artefacts. All these features make it more robust for defence against evolving ransomware groups that will continue to change their approach to remain at least a step ahead of security patches.


Growing Need for Cross-Platform Security

As Qilin ransomware is becoming more agile, security experts say the cybersecurity posture of organisations must be more offensive-minded. Qilin.B is rebuilt in Rust and can be executed properly across different environments-from Linux to VMware's ESXi hypervisor. The required security monitoring needs to recognize stealthy methods identified with Qilin.B, including detection of code compiled in Rust because traditional systems would fail to counter it.


Advanced Configurations and Control

Qilin.B. This is another notable configuration option from the attackers so that one can personalise his attack. Thus, this version comes along with new names for some functions, encrypted strings and other complex code, in order to take more time for defence activities and forensic analysis of an incident. According to researchers of the Halcyon company, the best behaviour-based detecting systems should be implemented and it can easily find out what malware does, without the outdated method of searching for signatures by which malware has successfully dodged, in this case.

With the advancements of Qilin.B in terms of encryption and evasion, the security firm Halcyon recommends that organisations supplement their security infrastructure with cross-platform monitoring and backup solutions which are designed to fight against ransomware attacks' newest variations. A more complete system in detecting and responding to threats will still be an asset as ransomware advances through networks well-protected.

Continuous improvement in ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) points to the intensifying threat that organisations have to grapple with as they secure sensitive data from increasingly sophisticated adversaries. The Qilin operation exemplifies how ransomware groups continue to adapt themselves to avoid defences, so proactive and adaptive security measures are justified in industries.


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Vulnerable Organization
Artificial Intelligence Clout Plateforms CyberCrime Cybersecurity CyberThreat EMBARGO RaaS Ransomware Storm-0501 Vulnerable Organization

Embargo Ransomware Shifts Focus to Cloud Platforms

 


In a recent security advisory, Microsoft advised that the ransomware threat actor Storm-0501 has recently switched tactics, targeting hybrid cloud environments now to compromise the entire system of victimization. It is becoming increasingly apparent that cybercriminals are finding out how difficult it is to secure hybrid cloud environments. 

In the latest case, an extremely cruel group called Storm-0501 has stepped forward in an attempt to steal from the most vulnerable organizations in the US, including schools, hospitals, and law enforcement. The group is known for its cash-grab operations. As an affiliate of different strains of ransomware as a service (RaaS), Storm-0501 has been around since 2021, as per Microsoft Threat Intelligence's new report on it.

This ransomware operates as affiliates of a variety of RaaS strains such as BlackCat/ALPHV, LockBit, and Embargo, among others. The Storm-0501 ransomware gang is well-known for its operations in on-premise networks, but now the group is focusing on extending its reach to cloud infrastructures as they look to compromise whole networks with their campaigns. 

Since Storm-0501 was first discovered in 2021, it has been associated with the Sabbath ransomware group as an affiliate. There are several notable ransomware groups, such as Hive, BlackCat, LockBit, and Hunters International, that have been involved in these operations from time to time, but it has been growing rapidly. 

There have been recent reports that the group has been using Embargo ransomware as a means of executing their operations. As a result of the group's broad range of targets within the United States, the group has selected a wide array of sectors for its attacks, including hospitals, government agencies, manufacturing companies, transportation companies, and law enforcement agencies. 

As part of their attack pattern, the group usually exploits weak credentials and privileged accounts, enabling them to steal sensitive information from compromised networks and to deploy ransomware to guarantee their success. Earlier this week, Microsoft team members shared information about a recent attack on Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) that was performed by Storm-0501 threat actors. 

The credential-synching component of this on-premises Microsoft application is responsible for synchronizing the passwords and other sensitive data between the objects in Active Directory and Entra ID, assuming the credentials of the user are the same for both on-premises and cloud environments. This report warns that once Storm-0501 was able to migrate into the cloud at a later point in time, it was then capable of manipulating, exfiltrating, and setting up persistent backdoors to commit ransomware attacks. 

As a result of exploiting weak usernames and passwords, the attacker gains access to cloud environments via privileged accounts, which sets out to steal data as well as execute a ransomware payload on the target machine. It is Microsoft's position that the Storm-0501 is obtaining initial access to the network by stealing or buying credentials for access, or by exploiting known vulnerabilities that have already been discovered. 

It is worth noting that CVE-2022-47966 has been used in recent attacks against Zoho ManageEngine, CVE-2023-4966 has been used against Citrix NetScaler, and CVE-2023-29300 or CVE-2023-38203 may have been used against ColdFusion 2016. As the adversary moves laterally, it uses frameworks like Impacket and Cobalt Strike, steals data through Rclone binaries renamed to mimic known Windows tools, and disables security agents using PowerShell command-line functions. 

Storm-0501 is malware that has been designed to exploit stolen Microsoft Entra ID credentials (formerly known as Azure AD credentials) to move from on-premise to cloud environments, compromise synchronization accounts for persistence, and hijack sessions for recurrence. Using a Microsoft Entra Connect Sync account is an essential part of synchronizing data between on-premises AD (Active Directory) and Microsoft Entra ID (Entra ID cloud-based). 

These accounts allow a wide range of sensitive actions to be taken on behalf of the On-Premise AD account. In the case that the attacker has gained access to the credentials for the Directory Synchronization Account, he or she has the capability of changing cloud passwords through specialized tools like AADInternals, thus bypassing any additional security measures. 

An unauthorized user may exploit the Storm-0501 vulnerability if the account of a domain admin or other high-privileged user on-premises also exists in the cloud environment and is not properly protected (e.g. it does not implement multi-factor authentication). As soon as the malicious actor has gained access to the cloud infrastructure, they plant a persistent backdoor by creating a new federated domain inside of the Microsoft Entra tenant, which allows them to log in as any user that has the "Immutableid" property set to their benefit. 

A final step would be for the attackers to either install Embargo ransomware in the victim's on-premises infrastructure and cloud-based environments or keep backdoor access available for later use to the victim. In response to the growing prevalence of hybrid cloud environments, Microsoft's Threat Intel team has warned, "As organizations continue to work with multiple platforms to protect their data, securing resources across them becomes a growing challenge."

Keeper Security, vice president of security and infrastructure, said that a zero-trust framework is a highly effective means of achieving this goal for enterprise cybersecurity teams and that it can be achieved by progressively advancing towards one. Using this model, access is restricted based on the customers' roles, making sure that users only have access to the resources they need for their specific roles. 

This minimizes the possibility of malicious actors getting access to those resources," Tiquet stated in an email. "It is widely believed that weak credentials remain one of the most vulnerable entry points in hybrid cloud environments that are likely to be exploited by groups such as Storm-0501." A centralised approach to endpoint device management (EDM) is also vital to the success of the strategy, according to him. Keeping all environments patched - be it cloud-based or on-premises - is one of the best ways to prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities by ensuring a consistent level of security patching." 

In addition to my previous statement, he added that advanced monitoring tools will allow teams to detect potentially malicious threats across hybrid cloud environments before they can become breaches. SlashNext Security's field CTO Stephen Kowski provided a similar list of recommendations in a statement he sent via e-mail. Embargo, whose contact information can be found here, is a threat group that uses Rust-based malware in its ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation, which accepts affiliates who access companies and deploy the payload, sharing part of the profit with the affiliate. 

As far back as August 2024, an Embargo ransomware affiliate attacked the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and claimed to have received $1 million for a decryptor that worked once it was provided to them. The theft of sensitive data from Firstmac Limited, an Australian company that deals with mortgages, investment management and investment strategy, was reported to the cybercrime reporting agency earlier this month. When the deadline to negotiate a solution had passed, an Embargo subsidiary was discovered to have breached the company.
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Ransomware
Automobiles Cyber Security Kawasaki RaaS RansomHub Ransomware

Kawasaki Ransomware Attack: 500 GB Alleged Data Leaked, RansomHub Claims

Kawasaki Ransomware Attack: 500 GB Alleged Data Leaked, RansomHub Claims

In a recent ransomware attack that hit Kawasaki Motors Europe (KME), the company has confirmed that it suffered the breach causing major service disruptions as threat actors threatened to leak the data. 

“At the start of September, Kawasaki Motors Europe (KME) was the subject of a cyberattack which, although not successful, resulted in the company’s servers being temporarily isolated until a strategic recovery plan was initiated later on the same day," KME said in a statement.

RansomHub Behind Leak

RansomHub, an infamous Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) has leaked 478GB of data which the group claims belongs to the KME website,  after the attack. Important business documents were exposed- dealership details, internal communications, banking records, and financial info.

Threat actors posted the exposed data on their extortion site on the dark net, suggesting that KME didn’t agree to pay the ransom demanded by RanHub.

RansomHub has become popular after its creation in February 2024, it is now one of the most efficient RaaS groups, it was responsible for 75 ransom attacks in Q2 of 2024. RansomHub’s victims include high-level targets like Planned Parenthood and Change Healthcare.

To warn about the attacks, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) issued an advisory, highlighting indicators of compromise (IoC) to combat the threat of potential targets.

Rising Ransom Demands 

With a significant increase in the number of RaaS, the ransom demand trend is also rising. A threat actor demands a shocking $1.5 million in return for a victim’s stolen data. In 2023, the ransomware number was a mere $200,000, which shows the dominance of ransomware groups and the harm they cause to an organization. 

How to Combat Ransomware Attacks?

Adopting a proactive cybersecurity plan can help a business address future threats and take measures to mitigate risks, reducing the threat of future attacks. 

A strong incident response plan can reduce the impact of a ransomware breach. It should have a framework for a plan of action for a possible attack, this can include a data recovery process, legal aspects, and communication protocols. 

Human error is one of the leading causes of breach, but employee training and awareness helps to identify threats and respond accordingly. 

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Ransomware
Black Basta Cyber Security Microsoft Quick Assist RaaS Ransomware

Cybercriminals Exploit Windows Quick Assist in Latest Ransomware Campaign

 

A recent wave of cyberattacks has seen financially motivated criminals leveraging Windows Quick Assist, a built-in remote control and screen-sharing tool, to deploy Black Basta ransomware on victim networks. Microsoft has investigated these attacks since mid-April 2024, identifying the threat group behind them as Storm-1811.

The attacks typically begin with email bombing, where the target's inbox is flooded with spam emails. This overload is followed by a phone call from the attackers, who impersonate Microsoft technical support or the victim's IT help desk. They offer to help resolve the spam issue, tricking victims into granting remote access via Quick Assist.

Once access is granted, the attackers execute a scripted command to download malicious files, including Qakbot malware, remote monitoring tools like ScreenConnect and NetSupport Manager, and the Cobalt Strike framework. These tools enable the attackers to perform domain enumeration and move laterally across the network. Eventually, they deploy Black Basta ransomware using PsExec, a telnet-replacement tool.

Rapid7, a cybersecurity company that also detected these attacks, noted that attackers use batch scripts to harvest credentials from the command line using PowerShell. These credentials are often exfiltrated to the attackers' server via Secure Copy (SCP). In some cases, credentials are saved to an archive for later retrieval.

To mitigate these attacks, Microsoft advises organisations to disable or uninstall Quick Assist and similar remote tools if they are not used. Employees should be trained to recognise tech support scams and instructed to only allow remote access if they initiated the contact with IT support. Suspicious Quick Assist sessions should be immediately disconnected.

The Black Basta ransomware operation emerged after the Conti cybercrime group disbanded two years ago following multiple data breaches. Black Basta began operating as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) in April 2022 and has since attacked numerous high-profile targets, including defence contractor Rheinmetall, technology company Capita, Hyundai's European division, and the American Dental Association.

Recent attacks linked to Black Basta include a ransomware incident at U.S. healthcare giant Ascension, which disrupted ambulance services. According to a joint advisory by CISA and the FBI, Black Basta affiliates have breached over 500 organisations across 12 out of 16 critical infrastructure sectors since April 2022, causing data breaches and encryption.

Health-ISAC, an information sharing and analysis centre, has warned of increased attacks against the healthcare sector by Black Basta. Research by Elliptic and Corvus Insurance indicates that the group has extorted at least $100 million in ransom payments from over 90 victims by November 2023.

Microsoft is enhancing Quick Assist to improve transparency and trust between users, including adding warning messages to alert users about potential scams. Rapid7 observed similar scams targeting their customers, with attackers using other remote monitoring tools like AnyDesk.

To prevent such attacks, organisations should block unapproved remote management tools and train staff to recognise and report suspicious calls and messages. Quick Assist should only be used if the interaction was initiated by contacting official support channels.

The recent misuse of Windows Quick Assist in deploying Black Basta ransomware pushes forward the vision for increased vigilance and robust cybersecurity practices to save all our digital assets from such social engineering attacks.


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Remote Access Software
Black Basta CISA FBI RaaS Ransomware Remote Access Software

New Ransomware Threat Hits Hundreds of Organisations Worldwide

 


In a recent joint report by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a new ransomware gang named Black Basta has been identified as breaching over 500 organisations globally between April 2022 and May 2024. This group has targeted various sectors, including healthcare, spanning across North America, Europe, and Australia.

Black Basta, coming through as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation in April 2022, has quickly gained notoriety by attacking numerous high-profile victims such as Rheinmetall, Hyundai, Capita, and the American Dental Association, among others. Believed to have connections to the former Conti cybercrime syndicate, Black Basta operates with sophistication and a steady stream of initial access to its targets.

One of the key tactics employed by Black Basta involves stealing corporate data before encrypting a company's devices. This stolen data is then used in double-extortion attacks, where victims have demanded a ransom to prevent the publishing of their sensitive information. The gang's data leak site, 'Black Basta Blog' or 'Basta News,' lists victims and progressively releases data to pressure them into paying the ransom.

Technical analysis reveals that Black Basta utilises the ChaCha20 encryption algorithm to encrypt files, rendering them inaccessible without the decryption key. Victims are left with a custom extension appended to their encrypted files (.basta), along with a ransom note providing instructions on how to negotiate with the threat actors.

Responding to this spreading threat, federal agencies advise organisations to maintain up-to-date operating systems, employ phishing-resistant Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and train users to identify and report phishing attempts. Moreover, securing remote access software and implementing recommended mitigations are essential steps in blocking the risks posed by Black Basta and similar ransomware attacks.

Healthcare organisations are particularly vulnerable, given their size, technological reliance, and access to sensitive patient information. CISA and the FBI have suggested adhering to the StopRansomware Guide in order to dodge potential attacks in the healthcare sector.

Recent incidents, including an attack on healthcare giant Ascension, accentuate the urgency of addressing the threat posed by Black Basta. With the gang's ability to readily expand its victim pool and employ coercive tactics, organisations must remain particularly careful and implement robust cybersecurity measures to mitigate the risk of falling victim to ransomware attacks.

Considering the course of events, cybersecurity experts emphasise the importance of ardent measures, including regular backups, system updates, and employee training, to strengthen defences against ransomware threats like Black Basta. This calls for collective efforts to combat the growing menace of ransomware and protect critical infrastructure from malicious actors.


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Sophos
Cyber Attacks Junk-Gun RaaS Ransomware Sophos

Junk Ransomware: Getting the Job Done For Hackers


Sophos detects ransomware

In an April 17 analysis from its Sophos X-Ops research team, cybersecurity firm Sophos observed an increase in low-cost, primitive ransomware—a boon for aspiring threat actors and a headache for defenders.

It's far more difficult to find something that there are only twenty copies of in the world, said Christopher Budd, director of threat research at Sophos X-Ops.

The group linked the choices to the cheap handguns that flooded the US firearms market in the 1960s and 1970s, known as junk guns.

Between June 2023 and February 2024, the Sophos team spotted 19 different types of "independently produced, inexpensive, and crudely constructed ransomware." Some missed clean graphics, while others used programming languages like C# and.NET, which "have a shallower learning curve," noted the paper.

It seems to be a fairly recent thing,"  noting that poor-quality malware has existed for decades.

Varying costs

Sophos discovered one with no price indicated, two open-source models, one for $20 (later reduced to free), and one for 0.5 BTC (about $13K).

According to a 2023 research by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, the cost of a Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) kit "ranges from $40 per month to several thousand dollars." RaaS models depend on affiliates purchasing ransomware and consenting to a subscription fee based on the victim's payment.

Junk-gun ransomware

Junk-gun ransomware destroys that commission: capitalism in action, in a sense.

In most instances, you don't have any kind of partner fees to pay, Budd stated.

Only three of the "junk" kinds paid a subscription fee

Ransomware groups such as LockBit have become large enough to be tracked and halted by government agencies. Junky ransomware has the potential to fly under the radar and bypass detection technology.

There is no single source of knowledge for investigators and researchers to track, the Sophos report stated.

Budd and his crew saw users asking basic inquiries in forums praising the cheap items. What is the best language for creating ransomware? Is writing in C# worthwhile? How should malware be priced and sold?

Budd describes a forum featuring inexpensive ransomware and beginner queries as a welcome place for young hackers waiting for their chance in the big leagues.

Step forward

Junk-gun ransomware presents specific problems for small enterprises, the general public, and the security industry. We saw threat actors expressly refer to assaults against smaller companies and individuals, even as they tried to figure out which types of companies to target and how much ransom to demand because such targets are often less well-defended, knowledgeable, and prepared.

At this point, junk-gun ransomware causes several challenges for the security industry. It is difficult to get samples of junk-gun ransomware, assess how widely it has been deployed in the wild, and monitor new variants. 

Threat actors may also adopt the 'brand names' of well-known ransomware families, presumably to capitalize on their reputations, which can lead to misunderstanding among experts.
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threat report
malware Malware Strains RaaS Ransomware threat report

Malware-as-a-Service The Biggest Risk to Organizations Right Now

Malware-as-a-Service

A recent Darktrace analysis states that the largest threat to enterprises in the second half of 2023 was malware-as-a-service (MaaS) infections.

Many malware strains have become cross-functionally adaptive, as noted in the 2023 End of Year Threat Report. This comprises the combination of information-stealing malware with malware loaders like remote access trojans (RATs).

The menace of malware-as-a-service 

Researchers at Darktrace discovered that "malware strains are progressively developed with a minimum of two functions and are interoperable with a greater number of existing tools" through reverse engineering and detection analysis.

Because these malicious tools may gather passwords and data without compromising files, which makes detection more difficult, they pose a special risk to enterprises.

One well-known instance of this was the information-stealing and remote access Trojan (RAT) called ViperSoftX, which was designed to obtain sensitive data such as Bitcoin wallet addresses and passwords kept in password managers or browsers.

2020 saw the first recorded sighting of ViperSoftX in the wild, however, strains discovered in 2022 and 2023 have more advanced detection evasion strategies and capabilities.

Another instance is the ransomware known as Black Basta, which spreads the Qbot banking virus to steal credentials.

Additional Transition to Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS)

The research also noted a move away from traditional ransomware in 2023 with an increase in RaaS assaults.

It was reported that the ransomware market expanded after law enforcement dismantled the Hive ransomware gang in January 2023. Among these was the emergence of ScamClub, a malvertising actor that sends false virus alerts to well-known news websites, and AsyncRAT, which has been targeting US infrastructure workers lately.

According to Darktrace's prediction, an increasing number of ransomware attackers are expected to utilize multi-functional malware and double and triple extortion tactics in the upcoming year.

According to the company, in 2024 the MaaS and RaaS ecosystems should continue to flourish, hence reducing the entry barrier for cybercriminals.

Attackers Incorporating AI into Phishing Schemes

According to Darktrace, last year it saw threat actors use additional creative strategies to get beyond an organization's security measures.

This includes phishing and other increasingly successful email attacks that try to trick users into downloading dangerous payloads or divulging private information.

For instance, 58% of phishing emails that Darktrace saw last year were able to get past all security measures in place, while 65% of the emails were able to effectively evade Domain-based Message Authentication (DMARC) verification checks.

According to the researchers, a lot of attackers are using generative AI technologies to automate the creation of more realistic phishing operations.



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