ransomware
Helldown ransomware exploits Zyxel VPN flaw to breach networks
The new ‘Helldown’ ransomware operation is believed to target vulnerabilities in Zyxel firewalls to breach corporate networks, allowing them to steal data and encrypt devices. French cybersecurity firm Sekoia is reporting this with medium confidence based on recent observations of Helldown attacks. Although not among the major players in the ransomware space, Helldown has quickly grown since […]
US charges Phobos ransomware admin after South Korea extradition
Evgenii Ptitsyn, a Russian national and suspected administrator of the Phobos ransomware operation, was extradited from South Korea and is facing cybercrime charges in the United States. Phobos is a long-running ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation (derived from the Crysis ransomware family) widely distributed through many affiliates. Between May 2024 and November 2024, it accounted for roughly 11% of all […]
New Ymir ransomware partners with RustyStealer in attacks
A new ransomware family called ‘Ymir’ has been spotted in the wild, encrypting systems that were previously compromised by the RustyStealer infostealer malware. RustyStealer is a known malware family first documented in 2021, but its appearance with ransomware demonstrates another example of the recent trend of cybercrime operations working together. According to Kaspersky researchers who discovered Ymir during an incident […]
Halliburton reports $35 million loss after ransomware attack
Halliburton has revealed that an August ransomware attack has led to $35 million in losses after the breach caused the company to shut down IT systems and disconnect customers. Halliburton is a global provider of products and services to the energy industry, offering a range of solutions for oil and gas reservoirs, including exploration, development, […]
Critical Veeam RCE bug now used in Frag ransomware attacks
After being used in Akira and Fog ransomware attacks, a critical Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR) security flaw was also recently exploited to deploy Frag ransomware. Code White security researcher Florian Hauser found that the vulnerability (tracked as CVE-2024-40711) is caused by a deserialization of untrusted data weakness that unauthenticated threat actors can exploit to gain remote […]
Windows infected with backdoored Linux VMs in new phishing attacks
A new phishing campaign dubbed ‘CRON#TRAP’ infects Windows with a Linux virtual machine that contains a built-in backdoor to give stealthy access to corporate networks. Using virtual machines to conduct attacks is nothing new, with ransomware gangs and cryptominers using them to stealthily perform malicious activity. However, threat actors commonly install these manually after they breach a network. A […]
LA housing authority confirms breach claimed by Cactus ransomware
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), one of the largest public housing authorities in the United States, confirmed that a cyberattack hit its IT network after recent breach claims from the Cactus ransomware gang. HACLA provides affordable public housing and assistance programs to low-income families, children, and seniors in Los Angeles, […]
North Korean govt hackers linked to Play ransomware attack
The North Korean state-sponsored hacking group tracked as ‘Andariel’ has been linked to the Play ransomware operation, using the RaaS to work behind the scenes and evade sanctions. A report from Palo Alto Networks and its Unit 42 researchers claims that Andariel might be either an affiliate of Play or acting as an initial access broker […]
Akira and Fog ransomware now exploit critical Veeam RCE flaw
Ransomware gangs now exploit a critical security vulnerability that lets attackers gain remote code execution (RCE) on vulnerable Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR) servers. Code White security researcher Florian Hauser found that the security flaw, now tracked as CVE-2024-40711, is caused by a deserialization of untrusted data weakness that unauthenticated threat actors can exploit in […]
Highline Public Schools confirms ransomware behind shutdown
On Thursday, K-12 school district Highline Public Schools confirmed that a ransomware attack forced it to shut down all schools in early September. Highline Public Schools has over 2,000 staff members and offers programs ranging from early childhood education to college preparation. It serves over 17,500 students across 34 schools in the Burien, Des Moines, […]