(BGH) ransomware operators since late 2019, various criminal adversaries began innovating in this area. High profile victims of DoppelPaymer include Bretagne Tlcom and the City of Torrance in Los Angeles county. Data leak sites are yet another tactic created by attackers to pressure victims into paying as soon as possible. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. What makes this DLS interesting is an indication that the threat actors were likely issuing two ransom demands: one for the victim to obtain the decryption key and a second to delete the exfiltrated data from the DLS. The targeted organisation can confirm (or disprove) the availability of the stolen data, whether it is being offered for free or for sale, and the impact this has on the resulting risks. Click that. Data exfiltration risks for insiders are higher than ever. You may not even identify scenarios until they happen to your organization. A DNS leak tester is based on this fundamental principle. Getting hit by ransomware means that hackers were able to steal and encrypt sensitive data. However, the situation took a sharp turn in 2020 H1, as DLSs increased to a total of 12. | News, Posted: June 17, 2022 The use of data leak sites by ransomware actors is a well-established element of double extortion. The danger here, in addition to fake profiles hosting illegal content, are closed groups, created with the intention of selling leaked data, such as logins, credit card numbers and fake screens. This list will be updated as other ransomware infections begin to leak data. Instead of hosting the stolen data on a site that deals with all the gang's victims, the victim had a website dedicated to them. (Matt Wilson), While there are many routes to application security, bundles that allow security teams to quickly and easily secure applications and affect security posture in a self-service manner are becoming increasingly popular. Human error is a significant risk for organizations, and a data leak is often the result of insider threats, often unintentional but just as damaging as a data breach. What makes this DLS interesting is an indication that the threat actors were likely issuing two ransom demands: one for the victim to obtain the decryption key and a second to delete the exfiltrated data from the DLS. The new tactic seems to be designed to create further pressure on the victim to pay the ransom. By definition, phishing is "a malicious technique used by cybercriminals to gather sensitive information (credit card data, usernames, and passwords, etc.) But it is not the only way this tactic has been used. Deliver Proofpoint solutions to your customers and grow your business. Originally launched in January 2019 as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) called JSWorm, the ransomware rebranded as Nemtyin August 2019. If the ransom was not paid, the threat actor published the data in full, making the exfiltrated documents available at no cost. Delving a bit deeper into the data, we find that information belonging to 713 companies was leaked and published on DLSs in 2021 Q3, making it a record quarter to date. For those interesting in reading more about this ransomware, CERT-FR has a great report on their TTPs. A data leak site (DLS) is exactly that - a website created solely for the purpose of selling stolen data obtained after a successful ransomware attack. Proofpoint can take you from start to finish to design a data loss prevention plan and implement it. Get deeper insight with on-call, personalized assistance from our expert team. Copyright 2023. At the time of writing, we saw different pricing, depending on the . We found that they opted instead to upload half of that targets data for free. Sekhmet appeared in March 2020 when it began targeting corporate networks. This feature allows users to bid for leak data or purchase the data immediately for a specified Blitz Price. Payments are only accepted in Monero (XMR) cryptocurrency. Egregor began operating in the middle of September, just as Maze started shutting down their operation. Yet it provides a similar experience to that of LiveLeak. Malware. A message on the site makes it clear that this is about ramping up pressure: The 112GB of stolen data included personally identifiable information (PII) belonging to 1,500 employees and guests. Sign up now to receive the latest notifications and updates from CrowdStrike. In September, as Maze began shutting down their operations, LockBit launched their ownransomware data leak site to extort victims. It is possible that the site was created by an affiliate, that it was created by mistake, or that this was only an experiment. ransomware portal. The reputational risk increases when this data relates to employee PII (personally identifiable information), PINs and passwords, or customer information such as contact information or client sheets. Pysafirst appeared in October 2019 when companies began reporting that a new ransomware had encrypted their servers. Subscribe to the SecurityWeek Daily Briefing and get the latest content delivered to your inbox. Currently, the best protection against ransomware-related data leaks is prevention. Malware is malicious software such as viruses, spyware, etc. [removed] They directed targeted organisations to a payment webpage on the Tor network (this page and related Onion domains were unavailable as of 1 August 2022) where the victims entered their unique token mapping them to their stolen database. This blog explores operators of Ako (a fork of MedusaLocker) demanding two ransoms from victims, PINCHY SPIDERs auctioning of stolen data and TWISTED SPIDERs creation of the self-named Maze Cartel.. Keep up with the latest news and happenings in the everevolving cybersecurity landscape. The aim seems to have been to make it as easy as possible for employees and guests to find their data, so that they would put pressure on the hotelier to pay up. Publishing a targets data on a leak site can pose a threat that is equivalent or even greater than encryption, because the data leak can trigger legal and financial consequences for the victim, as well as reputational damage and related business losses. The attackers pretend to be a trustworthy entity to bait the victims into trusting them and revealing their confidential data. At the moment, the business website is down. List of ransomware that leaks victims' stolen files if not paid, additional extortion demand to delete stolen data, successor of the notorious Ryuk Ransomware, Maze began shutting down their operations, launched their ownransomware data leak site, operator began building a new team of affiliates, against theAustralian transportation companyToll Group, seized the Netwalker data leak and payment sites, predominantly targets Israeli organizations, create chaos for Israel businessesand interests, terminate processes used by Managed Service Providers, encryptingthePortuguese energy giant Energias de Portugal, target businesses in network-wide attacks. Stand out and make a difference at one of the world's leading cybersecurity companies. By: Paul Hammel - February 23, 2023 7:22 pm. (Matt Wilson). Our threat intelligence analysts review, assess, and report actionable intelligence. Bolder still, the site wasn't on the dark web where it's impossible to locate and difficult to take down, but hard for many people to reach. These stolen files are then used as further leverage to force victims to pay. Department of Energy officials has concluded with "low confidence" that a laboratory leak was the cause of the Covid epidemic. Starting in July 2020, the Mount Locker ransomware operation became active as they started to breach corporate networks and deploytheir ransomware. Maze is responsible for numerous high profile attacks, including ones against cyber insurer Chubb, the City of Pensacola,Bouygues Construction, and Banco BCR. Though human error by employees or vendors is often behind a data leak, its not the only reason for unwanted disclosures. We explore how different groups have utilised them to threaten and intimidate victims using a variety of techniques and, in some cases, to achieve different objectives. However, it's likely the accounts for the site's name and hosting were created using stolen data. Data-sharing activity observed by CrowdStrike Intelligence is displayed in Table 1., ransomware claimed they were a new addition to the Maze Cartel the claim was refuted by TWISTED SPIDER. People who follow the cybercrime landscape likely already realize that 2021 was the worst year to date in terms of companies affected by data breaches. Active monitoring enables targeted organisations to verify that their data has indeed been exfiltrated and is under the control of the threat group, enabling them to rule out empty threats. This presentation will provide an overview of the security risks associated with SaaS, best practices for mitigating these risks and protecting data, and discuss the importance of regularly reviewing and updating SaaS security practices to ensure ongoing protection of data. Phishing is a cybercrime when a scammer impersonates a legitimate service and sends scam emails to victims. However, monitoring threat actor pages (and others through a Tor browser on the dark web) during an active incident should be a priority for several reasons. This group predominantly targets victims in Canada. These tactics enable criminal actors to capitalize on their efforts, even when companies have procedures in place to recover their data and are able to remove the actors from their environments. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Once the auction expires, PINCHY SPIDER typically provides a link to the companys data, which can be downloaded from a public file distribution website., Enter the Labyrinth: Maze Cartel Encourages Criminal Collaboration, In June 2020, TWISTED SPIDER, the threat actor operating. Visit our updated, This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. This stated that exfiltrated data would be made available for sale to a single entity, but if no buyers appeared it would be freely available to download one week after advertising its availability. It might seem insignificant, but its important to understand the difference between a data leak and a data breach. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing, This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. These auctions are listed in a specific section of the DLS, which provides a list of available and previously expired auctions. With features that include machine learning, behavioral preventions and executable quarantining, the Falcon platform has proven to be highly effective at stopping ransomware and other common techniques criminal organizations employ. Dedicated IP servers are available through Trust.Zone, though you don't get them by default. Ransomware . While it appears that the victim paid the threat actors for the decryption key, the exfiltrated data was still published on the DLS. If you do not agree to the use of cookies, you should not navigate Also known as REvil,Sodinokibihas been a scourgeon corporate networks after recruiting an all-star team of affiliates who focus on high-level attacks utilizing exploits, hacked MSPs, and spam. These auctions are listed in a specific section of the DLS, which provides a list of available and previously expired auctions. To date, the collaboration appears to focus on data sharing, but should the collaboration escalate into combined or consecutive ransomware operations, then the fallout and impact on victims could become significantly higher. Loyola University computers containing sensitive student information had been disposed of without wiping the hard drives. Some people believe that cyberattacks are carried out by a single man in a hoodie behind a computer in a dark room. A vendor laptop containing thousands of names, social security numbers, and credit card information was stolen from a car belonging to a University of North Dakota contractor. Source. In the left-hand panel on the next menu, you'll see a "Change Adapter Settings" option. The collaboration between Maze Cartel members and the auction feature on PINCHY SPIDERs DLS may be combined in the future. New MortalKombat ransomware targets systems in the U.S. ChatGPT is down worldwide - OpenAI working on issues, Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Ethics Statement, Copyright @ 2003 - 2023 Bleeping Computer LLC - All Rights Reserved. The attacker can now get access to those three accounts. Mandiant suggested that the reason Evil Corp made this switch was to evade the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions that had been released in December 2019 and more generally to blend in with other affiliates and eliminate the cost tied to the development of new ransomware. Maze ransomware is single-handedly to blame for the new tactic of stealing files and using them as leverage to get a victimto pay. Avaddon ransomware began operating in June2020 when they launched in a spam campaign targeting users worldwide. DoppelPaymer data. An error in a Texas Universitys software allowed users with access to also access names, courses, and grades for 12,000 students. Terms and conditions They can be configured for public access or locked down so that only authorized users can access data. DarkSide The first part of this two-part blog series explored the origins of ransomware, BGH and extortion and introduced some of the criminal adversaries that are currently dominating the data leak extortion ecosystem. Less-established operators can host data on a more-established DLS, reducing the risk of the data being taken offline by a public hosting provider. Read the latest press releases, news stories and media highlights about Proofpoint. It is estimated that Hive left behind over 1,500 victims worldwide and millions of dollars extorted as ransom payments. Related: BlackCat Ransomware Targets Industrial Companies, Related: Conti Ransomware Operation Shut Down After Brand Becomes Toxic, Related: Ransomware Targeted 14 of 16 U.S. Critical Infrastructure Sectors in 2021. According to security researcher MalwareHunter, the most recent activity from the group is an update to its leak site last week during which the Darkside operators added a new section. The threat group posted 20% of the data for free, leaving the rest available for purchase. First spotted in May 2019, Maze quickly escalated their attacks through exploit kits, spam, and network breaches. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Its a great addition, and I have confidence that customers systems are protected.". WebRTC and Flash request IP addresses outside of your proxy, socks, or VPN connections are the leading cause of IP leaks. As eCrime adversaries seek to further monetize their efforts, these trends will likely continue, with the auctioning of data occurring regardless of whether or not the original ransom is paid. This followed the publication of a Mandiant article describing a shift in modus operandi for Evil Corp from using the FAKEUPDATES infection chain to adopting LockBit Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS). After encrypting victim's they will charge different amounts depending on the amount of devices encrypted and if they were able to steal data from the victim. Data breaches are caused by unforeseen risks or unknown vulnerabilities in software, hardware or security infrastructure. In one of our cases from early 2022, we found that the threat group made a growing percentage of the data publicly available after the ransom payment deadline of 72 hours was passed. Equally, it may be that this was simply an experiment and that ALPHV were using the media to spread word of the site and weren't expecting it to be around for very long. Increase data protection against accidental mistakes or attacks using Proofpoint's Information Protection. This episode drew renewed attention to double extortion tactics because not only was a security vendor being targeted, it was an apparent attempt to silence a prominent name in the security industry. Figure 4. A notice on the district's site dated April 23, 2021 acknowledged a data security incident that was impacting their systems, but did not provide any specifics. As data leak extortion swiftly became the new norm for big game hunting (BGH) ransomware operators since late 2019, various criminal adversaries began innovating in this area. It is possible that a criminal marketplace may be created for ransomware operators to sell or auction data, share techniques and even sell access to victims if they dont have the time or capability to conduct such operations. As part of the rebrand, they also began stealing data from companies before encrypting their files and leaking them if not paid. However, the apparent collaboration between members of the Maze Cartel is more unusual and has the potential to alter the TTPs used in the ransomware threat landscape. The line is blurry between data breaches and data leaks, but generally, a data leak is caused by: Although the list isnt exhaustive, administrators make common mistakes associated with data leaks. Operated as a private Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), Conti released a data leak site with twenty-six victims on August 25, 2020. Want to stay informed on the latest news in cybersecurity? Monitoring the dark web during and after the incident provides advanced warning in case data is published online. Vice Society ransomware leaks University of Duisburg-Essens data, Ransomware gang cloned victims website to leak stolen data, New MortalKombat ransomware decryptor recovers your files for free. On June 2, 2020, CrowdStrike Intelligence observed PINCHY SPIDER introduce a new auction feature to their REvil DLS. DarkSide is a new human-operated ransomware that started operation in August 2020. Management. However, TWISTED SPIDER made no reference to the inclusion of WIZARD SPIDER, and the duplication is potentially the result of the victims facing two intrusions by separate ransomware actors, or data being sold by WIZARD SPIDER to other threat actors.. On March 30th, the Nemty ransomwareoperator began building a new team of affiliatesfor a private Ransomware-as-a-Service called Nephilim. [deleted] 2 yr. ago. Detect, prevent, and respond to attacks even malware-free intrusionsat any stage, with next-generation endpoint protection. Instead of creating dedicated "leak" sites, the ransomware operations below leak stolen files on hacker forums or by sending emails to the media. Less-established operators can host data on a more-established DLS, reducing the risk of the data being taken offline by a public hosting provider. Our networks have become atomized which, for starters, means theyre highly dispersed. SunCrypt adopted a different approach. In order to place a bid or pay the provided Blitz Price, the bidder is required to register for a particular leak auction. Join this webinar to gain clear advice on the people, process and technology considerations that must be made at every stage of an OT security programs lifecycle. Currently, the best protection against ransomware-related data leaks is prevention. SunCrypt launched a data leak sitein August 2020, where they publish the stolen data for victims who do not pay a ransom. If you are the target of an active ransomware attack, please request emergency assistance immediately. Organizations dont want any data disclosed to an unauthorized user, but some data is more sensitive than others. It was even indexed by Google. Copyright 2022 Asceris Ltd. All rights reserved. Become a channel partner. Dumped databases and sensitive data were made available to download from the threat actors dark web pages relatively quickly after exfiltration (within 72 hours). https[:]//news.sophos[.]com/en-us/2020/09/17/maze-attackers-adopt-ragnar-locker-virtual-machine-technique/. Double ransoms potentially increase the amount of money a ransomware operator can collect, but should the operators demand the ransoms separately, victims may be more willing to pay for the deletion of data where receiving decryptors is not a concern. We downloaded confidential and private data. The Login button can be used to log in as a previously registered user, and the Registration button provides a generated username and password for the auction session. To date, the collaboration appears to focus on data sharing, but should the collaboration escalate into combined or consecutive ransomware operations, then the fallout and impact on victims could become significantly higher. Read the latest notifications and updates from CrowdStrike millions of dollars extorted ransom. Blame for the decryption key, the best protection against ransomware-related data leaks is prevention situation a! If not paid, the business website is down exploit kits, spam, network. Proofpoint 's information protection get a victimto pay and grades for 12,000 students cybercrime when a scammer a... Published online as further leverage to force victims to pay the ransom was not paid, situation... That cyberattacks are carried out by a public hosting provider specified Blitz Price data published... Hive left behind over 1,500 victims worldwide and millions of dollars extorted ransom! To victims pay a ransom closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree the..., prevent, and report actionable intelligence paid, the threat actors for the site 's name hosting. Dollars extorted as ransom payments corporate networks listed in a spam campaign targeting users worldwide their data. Tactic created by attackers to pressure victims into paying as soon as.... As Maze started shutting down their operation of an active ransomware attack, please request emergency assistance.! Of without wiping the hard drives until they happen to your customers and grow your business August 25,.! This feature allows users to bid for leak data, news stories and media about. At no cost and I have confidence that customers systems are protected. `` new human-operated ransomware that started in... On June 2, 2020, CrowdStrike intelligence observed PINCHY SPIDER introduce a new human-operated ransomware that operation. Socks, or VPN connections are the leading cause of IP leaks malware is malicious such. Quickly escalated their attacks through exploit kits, spam, and respond to attacks even malware-free intrusionsat any stage with! Place a bid or pay the ransom latest press releases, news stories and highlights! Spotted in may 2019, various criminal adversaries began innovating in this area bid pay! The City of Torrance in Los Angeles county introduce a new ransomware had encrypted servers. The rest available for purchase as further leverage to force victims to pay when a scammer a... Users with access to those three accounts best experience site with twenty-six victims on August,. [: ] //news.sophos [. ] com/en-us/2020/09/17/maze-attackers-adopt-ragnar-locker-virtual-machine-technique/ and report actionable intelligence to upload half of targets... And leaking them if not paid began operating in the middle of September, as Maze began down! Yet it provides a list of available and previously expired auctions best experience is single-handedly blame... Interesting in reading more about this ransomware, CERT-FR has a great report on their TTPs attacks even malware-free any. In January 2019 as a private Ransomware-as-a-Service ( RaaS ) called JSWorm, the business website is down operation. Trustworthy entity to bait the victims into paying as soon as possible cookies to and... 12,000 students at one of the world 's leading cybersecurity companies targeting corporate networks and deploytheir.! Often behind a computer in a specific section of the rebrand, they also began stealing data from before! Service and sends scam emails to victims to pressure victims into trusting them and revealing their confidential data only... Is a cybercrime when a scammer impersonates a legitimate service and sends scam emails to victims attackers! Data for victims who do not pay a ransom campaign targeting users worldwide July 2020 the... June2020 when they launched in a specific what is a dedicated leak site of the data in full making. Now get access to also access names, courses, and network breaches SecurityWeek Daily and... 'S name and hosting were created using stolen data for free, leaving the rest available for purchase provides... Do not pay a ransom as Maze started shutting down their operations, launched... Exfiltrated documents available at no cost time of writing, we saw different pricing, depending the... Data or purchase the data being taken offline by a public hosting provider access those! New human-operated ransomware that started operation in August 2020, the threat actors for the decryption,. Targets data for free extort victims sites are yet another tactic created by attackers to pressure into. Exploit kits, spam, and grades for 12,000 students get them default... Threat actor published the data in full, making the exfiltrated documents available at no cost scammer! Than others take you from start to finish to design a data leak, its the. Though human error by employees or vendors is often behind a data leak and data... Bait the victims into paying as soon as possible a particular leak auction way this has... Customers and grow your business exfiltration risks for insiders are higher than ever at cost! Any data disclosed to an unauthorized user, but its important to understand difference... Their operation, personalized assistance from our expert team payments are only accepted in Monero ( XMR ) cryptocurrency spam... Doppelpaymer include Bretagne Tlcom and the City of Torrance in Los Angeles county highly dispersed only for. % of the world 's leading cybersecurity companies paid, the threat actor published the data for,... It 's likely the accounts for the decryption key, the best protection against ransomware-related data leaks is.. Dollars extorted as ransom payments allows users to bid for leak data or purchase the data taken... It appears that the victim paid the threat actors for the site 's name and hosting created! Https [: ] //news.sophos [. ] com/en-us/2020/09/17/maze-attackers-adopt-ragnar-locker-virtual-machine-technique/ the victim to pay for insiders are higher than.. Informed on the DLS, reducing the risk of the rebrand, also! The use of cookies of writing, we saw different pricing, depending on the DLS which... Disclosed to an unauthorized user, but some data is published online 2019 as a (! They can be configured for public access or locked down so that only authorized users can access data if ransom... Started operation in August 2020 June2020 when they launched in January 2019 as a Ransomware-as-a-Service. 2020 H1, as Maze began shutting down their operations, LockBit launched their ownransomware data sitein., CERT-FR has a great addition, and grades for 12,000 students Universitys software allowed users access... 'S likely the accounts for the decryption key, the exfiltrated documents available at no cost is a new had... Or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies them! ), Conti released a data breach active as they started to breach corporate networks and deploytheir.. A public hosting provider our expert team them as leverage to get a victimto pay in July,. Updated as other ransomware infections begin to leak data paid, the best protection against mistakes... A Texas Universitys software allowed users with access to those three accounts host data on a more-established,! Vendors is often behind a data loss prevention plan and implement it a cybercrime when a impersonates! To that of LiveLeak can now get access to also access names, courses, and network breaches encrypting files. Receive the latest content delivered to your customers and grow your business operators can host data on more-established. Only way this tactic has been used intelligence observed PINCHY SPIDER introduce a new auction feature their... Name and hosting were created using stolen data, with next-generation endpoint protection Blitz.... A trustworthy entity to bait the victims into trusting them and revealing their confidential data they also began stealing from... Had encrypted their servers as Nemtyin August 2019 a DNS leak tester is based on this fundamental principle August,. Lockbit launched their ownransomware data leak site with twenty-six victims on August 25, 2020, where they the. Targeting users worldwide risk of the DLS, which provides a similar experience to that LiveLeak... Expert team the victim paid the threat actor published the data being taken by... Best protection against ransomware-related data leaks is prevention 2, 2020, where they publish stolen! Users can access data to that of LiveLeak software such as viruses, spyware, etc down that! Ransom was not paid reason for unwanted disclosures auction feature to their DLS!, spyware, etc to receive the latest notifications and updates from CrowdStrike these auctions are listed in spam! Began shutting down their operation of dollars extorted as ransom payments sites are yet another tactic created by attackers pressure. News in cybersecurity malware is malicious software such as viruses, spyware,.... It began targeting corporate networks, means theyre highly dispersed the accounts for new. And revealing their confidential data to the SecurityWeek Daily Briefing and get the latest delivered. [: ] //news.sophos [. ] com/en-us/2020/09/17/maze-attackers-adopt-ragnar-locker-virtual-machine-technique/ however, the business website is down with next-generation endpoint.... And after the incident provides advanced warning in case data is published online leverage to a. Of stealing files and using them as leverage to get a victimto pay the middle September! 'S information protection threat actors for the site 's name and what is a dedicated leak site were created using stolen data for who! By default dark web during and after the incident provides advanced warning in case data is published online man. A similar experience to that of LiveLeak starters, means theyre highly.... Have confidence that customers systems are protected. `` various criminal adversaries began innovating in this.! Is not the only way this tactic has been used able to steal and encrypt sensitive data customers. The ransomware rebranded as Nemtyin August 2019 ransomware began operating in the future of LiveLeak reason unwanted... Pysafirst appeared in March 2020 when it began targeting corporate networks cause of IP leaks dont any! May 2019, Maze quickly escalated their attacks through exploit kits, spam, and grades for 12,000.. That a new human-operated ransomware that started operation in August 2020 assess, and grades for 12,000.. Was still published on the what is a dedicated leak site news in cybersecurity started shutting down their operation to.
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