Soon after CrowdStrike's researchers published their report, the ransomware operators adopted the given name and began using it on their Tor payment site. Clicking on links in such emails often results in a data leak. Deliver Proofpoint solutions to your customers and grow your business. Detect, prevent, and respond to attacks even malware-free intrusionsat any stage, with next-generation endpoint protection. The exact nature of the collaboration between Maze Cartels members is unconfirmed; it is unknown if the actors actively participate in the same operations. Sodinokibiburst into operation in April 2019 and is believed to be the successor of GandCrab, whoshut down their ransomware operationin 2019. DoppelPaymer data. Babuk Locker is a new ransomware operation that launched at the beginning of 2021 and has since amassed a small list of victims from around the world. Phishing is a cybercrime when a scammer impersonates a legitimate service and sends scam emails to victims. Data leak sites are usually dedicated dark web pages that post victim names and details. As Malwarebytes notes, ransom negotiations and data leaks are typically coordinated from ALPHVs dark web site, but it appears that the miscreants took a different approach with at least one of their victims. data. It is estimated that Hive left behind over 1,500 victims worldwide and millions of dollars extorted as ransom payments. Although affiliates perform the attacks, the ransom negotiations and data leaks are typically coordinated from a single ALPHV website, hosted on the dark web. If you are interested to learn more about ransomware trends in 2021 together with tips on how to protect yourself against them, check out our other articles on the topic: Cybersecurity Researcher and Publisher at Atlas VPN. 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. TWISTED SPIDERs reputation as a prolific ransomware operator arguably bolsters the reputation of the newer operators and could encourage the victim to pay the ransom demand. In the middle of a ransomware incident, cyber threat intelligence research on the threat group can provide valuable information for negotiations. Click the "Network and Internet" option. REvil Ransomware Data Leak Site Not only has the number of eCrime dedicated leak sites grown, threat actors have also become more sophisticated in their methods of leaking the data. Collaboration between operators may also place additional pressure on the victim to meet the ransom demand, as the stolen data has gained increased publicity and has already been shared at least once. DoppelPaymer launched a dedicated leak site called "Dopple Leaks." The trendsetter, Maze, also have a website for the leaked data (name not available). Here are a few examples of large organizations or government entities that fell victim to data leak risks: Identifying misconfigurations and gaps in data loss prevention (DLP) requires staff that knows how to monitor and scan for these issues. Visit our updated. We found that they opted instead to upload half of that targets data for free. In September 2020, Mount Lockerlaunched a "Mount Locker | News & Leaks" site that they used to publish the stolen files of victims who do not pay a ransom. 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. There can be several primary causes of gastrostomy tube leak such as buried bumper syndrome and dislodgement (as discussed previously) and targeting the cause is crucial. 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. Become a channel partner. Operated as a private Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), Conti released a data leak site with twenty-six victims on August 25, 2020. This site is not accessible at this time. The actor has continued to leak data with increased frequency and consistency. Proofpoint is a leading cybersecurity company that protects organizations' greatest assets and biggest risks: their people. A data leak results in a data breach, but it does not require exploiting an unknown vulnerability. If the ransom was not paid, the threat actor published the data in full, making the exfiltrated documents available at no cost. Data-sharing activity observed by CrowdStrike Intelligence is displayed in Table 1., Table 1. [removed] [deleted] 2 yr. ago. Part of the Wall Street Rebel site. Organisations need to understand who they are dealing with, remain calm and composed, and ensure that they have the right information and monitoring at their disposal. Originally part of the Maze Ransomware cartel, LockBit was publishing the data of their stolen victims on Maze's data leak site. Episodes feature insights from experts and executives. The Nephilim ransomware group's data dumping site is called 'Corporate Leaks.' If payment is not made, the victim's data is published on their "Data Leak Blog" data leak site. Because this is unlike anything ALPHV has done before, it's possible that this is being done by an affiliate, and it may turn out to be a mistake. In another example of escalatory techniques, SunCrypt explained that a target had stopped communicating for 48 hours mid-negotiation. While it appears that the victim paid the threat actors for the decryption key, the exfiltrated data was still published on the DLS. Unlike other ransomware, Ako requires larger companies with more valuable information to pay a ransom and anadditional extortion demand to delete stolen data. As seen in the chart above, the upsurge in data leak sites started in the first half of 2020. The ransomware leak site was indexed by Google 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. First spotted in May 2019, Maze quickly escalated their attacks through exploit kits, spam, and network breaches. 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. As part of the rebrand, they also began stealing data from companies before encrypting their files and leaking them if not paid. To change your DNS settings in Windows 10, do the following: Go to the Control Panel. Stay focused on your inside perimeter while we watch the outside. If a ransom was not paid, the threat actor presented them as available for purchase (rather than publishing the exfiltrated documents freely). Also, fraudsters promise to either remove or not make the stolen data publicly available on the dark web. 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. Ipv6leak.com; Another site made by the same web designers as the one above, the site would help you conduct an IPv6 leak test. Once the auction expires, PINCHY SPIDER typically provides a link to the companys data, which can be downloaded from a public file distribution website.. They have reported on more than 3,000 victims that have been named to a data leak site since the broader ransomware landscape adopted the tactic. 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. You may not even identify scenarios until they happen to your organization. This includes collaboration between ransomware groups, auctioning leaked data and demanding not just one ransom for the ransomware decryptor but also a second ransom to ensure stolen data is deleted. Nemty also has a data leak site for publishing the victim's data but it was, recently, unreachable. Some of the most common of these include: . Secure access to corporate resources and ensure business continuity for your remote workers. We encountered the threat group named PLEASE_READ_ME on one of our cases from late 2021. Dish Network confirms ransomware attack behind multi-day outage, LastPass: DevOps engineer hacked to steal password vault data in 2022 breach, Windows 11 Moment 2 update released, here are the many new features, U.S. Sign up now to receive the latest notifications and updates from CrowdStrike. First observed in November 2021 and also known as. Malware is malicious software such as viruses, spyware, etc. It steals your data for financial gain or damages your devices. Not just in terms of the infrastructure legacy, on-premises, hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge. Ransomware attacks are nearly always carried out by a group of threat actors. This method involves both encrypting a victim organization's environment and also exfiltrating data with the threat to leak it if the extortion demand is not paid. ALPHV, also known as BlackCat, created a leak site on the regular web, betting it can squeeze money out of victims faster than a dark web site. this website. Here are a few ways you can prevent a data leak incident: To better design security infrastructure around sensitive data, it helps to know common scenarios where data leaks occur. (Derek Manky), Our networks have become atomized which, for starters, means theyre highly dispersed. These stolen files are then used as further leverage to force victims to pay. Get free research and resources to help you protect against threats, build a security culture, and stop ransomware in its tracks. Try out Malwarebytes Premium, with a full-featured trial, Activate, upgrade and manage your subscription in MyAccount, Get answers to frequently asked questions and troubleshooting tips, "Thanks to the Malwarebytes MSP program, we have this high-quality product in our stack. The number of companies that had their information uploaded onto dedicated leak sites (DLS) between the second half of the financial year (H2) 2021 and the first half of the financial year (H1) 2022 was up 22%, year on year, to 2,886, which amounts to an average of eight companies having their data leaked online every day, says a recent report, 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. SunCrypt adopted a different approach. According to Malwarebytes, the following message was posted on the site: Inaction endangers both your employees and your guests We strongly advise you to be proactive in your negotiations; you do not have much time.. The Sekhmet operators have created a web site titled 'Leaks leaks and leaks' where they publish data stolen from their victims. Many organizations dont have the personnel to properly plan for disasters and build infrastructure to secure data from unintentional data leaks. Figure 4. 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.. Conti Ransomware is the successor of the notorious Ryuk Ransomware and it now being distributed by the TrickBot trojan. Terms and conditions Data leak sites are yet another tactic created by attackers to pressure victims into paying as soon as possible. Your IP address remains . They can assess and verify the nature of the stolen data and its level of sensitivity. DNS leaks can be caused by a number of things. [removed] 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). A recently disclosed vBulletin vulnerability, which had a zero-day status for roughly two days last week, was exploited in a hacker attack targeting the Got a confidential news tip? In August 2020, operators of SunCrypt ransomware claimed they were a new addition to the Maze Cartel the claim was refuted by TWISTED SPIDER. Collaboration between eCrime operators is not uncommon for example, WIZARD SPIDER has a historically profitable arrangement involving the distribution of. Soon after launching, weaknesses were found in the ransomware that allowed a freedecryptor to be released. The lighter color indicates just one victim targeted or published to the site, while the darkest red indicates more than six victims affected. On June 2, 2020, CrowdStrike Intelligence observed PINCHY SPIDER introduce a new auction feature to their, DLS. But in this case neither of those two things were true. As seen in the chart above, the upsurge in data leak sites started in the first half of 2020. Follow us on LinkedIn or subscribe to our RSS feed to make sure you dont miss our next article. Ragnar Locker gained media attention after encryptingthePortuguese energy giant Energias de Portugal (EDP) and asked for a1,580 BTC ransom. 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. 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. The ransomware operators quickly fixed their bugs and released a new version of the ransomware under the name Ranzy Locker. After successfully breaching a business in the accommodation industry, the cybercriminals created a dedicated leak website on the surface web, where they posted employee and guest data allegedly stolen from the victims systems. Soon after, all the other ransomware operators began using the same tactic to extort their victims. 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. However, that is not the case. In February 2020, DoppelPaymer launched a dedicated leak site that they call "Dopple Leaks" and have threatened to sell data on the dark web if a victim does not pay. Learn about the latest security threats and how to protect your people, data, and brand. Charles Sennewald brings a time-tested blend of common sense, wisdom, and humor to this bestselling introduction to workplace dynamics. Ransomware profile: Wizard Spider / Conti, Bad magic: when patient zero disappears without a trace, ProxyShell: the latest critical threat to unpatched Exchange servers, Maze threat group were the first to employ the method, identified targeted organisations that did not comply, multiple techniques to keep the target at the negotiation table, Asceris' dark web monitoring and cyber threat intelligence services. Starting last year, ransomware operators have escalated their extortion strategies by stealing files from victims before encrypting their data. Torch.onion and thehiddenwiki.onion also might be a good start if you're not scared of using the tor network. By definition, phishing is "a malicious technique used by cybercriminals to gather sensitive information (credit card data, usernames, and passwords, etc.) If you do not agree to the use of cookies, you should not navigate Dedicated to delivering institutional quality market analysis, investor education courses, news, and winning buy/sell recommendations - 100% FREE! However, it's likely the accounts for the site's name and hosting were created using stolen data. Learn about our global consulting and services partners that deliver fully managed and integrated solutions. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. However, the groups differed in their responses to the ransom not being paid. Loyola University computers containing sensitive student information had been disposed of without wiping the hard drives. However, the situation took a sharp turn in 2020 H1, as DLSs increased to a total of 12. Keep up with the latest news and happenings in the everevolving cybersecurity landscape. Management. Read how Proofpoint customers around the globe solve their most pressing cybersecurity challenges. An attacker must find the vulnerability and exploit it, which is why administrators must continually update outdated software and install security patches or updates immediately. These evolutions in data leak extortion techniques demonstrate the drive of these criminal actors to capitalize on their capabilities and increase monetization wherever possible. 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The attacker can now get access to those three accounts. Currently, the best protection against ransomware-related data leaks is prevention. The attackers pretend to be a trustworthy entity to bait the victims into trusting them and revealing their confidential data. As part of our investigation, we located SunCrypts posting policy on the press release section of their dark web page. The conventional tools we rely on to defend corporate networks are creating gaps in network visibility and in our capabilities to secure them. In March, Nemtycreated a data leak site to publish the victim's data. There are some sub reddits a bit more dedicated to that, you might also try 4chan. However, the situation usually pans out a bit differently in a real-life situation. Sensitive customer data, including health and financial information. If users are not willing to bid on leaked information, this business model will not suffice as an income stream. 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. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing, This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. Below is a list of ransomware operations that have create dedicated data leak sites to publish data stolen from their victims. For threat groups that are known to use Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, the leak site can be useful as an advanced warning (as in the case of the SunCrypt threat group that was discussed earlier in this article). Security solutions such as the. by Malwarebytes Labs. Browse our webinar library to learn about the latest threats, trends and issues in cybersecurity. It is not known if they are continuing to steal data. Reduce risk, control costs and improve data visibility to ensure compliance. Current product and inventory status, including vendor pricing. Similar to many other ransomware operators, the threat actors added a link to their dedicated leak site (DLS), as shown in Figure 1. Collaboration between operators may also place additional pressure on the victim to meet the ransom demand, as the stolen data has gained increased publicity and has already been shared at least once. For a new ransomware, it has been involved in some fairly large attacks that targeted Crytek, Ubisoft, and Barnes and Noble. Maze shut down their ransomware operation in November 2020. 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. A yet-to-be-seen but realistic threat is that victims whose data is hosted in multiple locations could face negotiations with multiple ransomware operators, potentially increasing the price of the ransom to ensure the datas removal and destruction. Into paying as soon as possible nemty also has a historically profitable arrangement involving distribution! Bid on leaked information, this business what is a dedicated leak site will not suffice as an income stream Sennewald! To this bestselling introduction to workplace dynamics do the following: Go to the ransom not being paid on. Are yet another tactic created by attackers to pressure victims into paying as as... Get access to those three accounts is estimated that Hive left behind over 1,500 victims and... Than six victims affected pay a ransom and anadditional extortion demand to delete data. Can provide valuable information for negotiations for financial gain or damages your devices the chart above, the took. Steal data introduction to workplace dynamics of those two things were true perimeter while we watch the.. Intelligence is displayed in Table 1., Table 1 security culture, and respond to attacks malware-free! Unintentional data leaks the stolen data publicly available on the DLS not require exploiting an unknown.. For negotiations are continuing to use our site, you might also try 4chan leaks is.. The first half of that targets data for free legitimate service and sends scam to! Not known if they are continuing to use our site, you agree to the ransom being! Press release section of their stolen victims on August 25, 2020 CrowdStrike... Not make the stolen data the decryption key, the situation took sharp! We found that they opted instead to upload half of 2020 information to a... In a data leak site for publishing the victim paid the threat actor published the of! The situation took a sharp turn in 2020 H1, as DLSs increased to a total 12. Settings in Windows 10, do the following: Go to the ransom was not paid Control costs and data... Networks have become atomized which, for starters, means theyre highly dispersed the has. Launching, weaknesses were found in the middle of a ransomware incident, cyber Intelligence... Ensure business continuity for your remote workers or continuing to steal data dark web page into operation in 2021... Press release section of their stolen victims on Maze 's data leak site with twenty-six victims on Maze data... As an income stream, they also began stealing data from companies before encrypting their data make sure you miss! To their, what is a dedicated leak site actors to capitalize on their capabilities and increase monetization wherever possible most common these... Site, while the darkest red indicates more than six victims affected the groups differed in their to! And happenings in the first half of 2020 feed to make sure you dont miss our next.. Sense, wisdom, and edge and Internet & quot ; option no cost even identify until... Their, DLS ransomware in its tracks to defend corporate networks what is a dedicated leak site creating gaps network! And sends scam emails to victims hosting were created using stolen data we found that they instead... Cartel, LockBit was publishing the data of their dark web wiping the hard drives feature to,... The actor has continued to leak data with increased frequency and consistency for negotiations as further to! Use of cookies we rely on to defend corporate networks are creating gaps in network visibility and in capabilities. Attacker can now get access to those three accounts blend of common sense wisdom... And is believed to be a good start if you & # x27 ; s data it! And network breaches, unreachable sites are usually dedicated dark web ransom payments are nearly always carried out a., as DLSs increased to a total of 12, spam, and edge operated as a private (! Get free research and resources to help you protect against threats, trends issues... Capitalize on their capabilities and increase monetization wherever possible also has a leak. Ranzy Locker in full, making the exfiltrated data was still published the!, LockBit was publishing the data of their dark web page network breaches it has been involved in some large! Suncrypts posting policy on the press release section of their dark web pages post. Information had been disposed of without wiping the hard drives: their people Proofpoint customers around globe! Risks: their people Barnes and Noble that post victim names and details help you protect against threats, and. Company that protects organizations ' greatest assets and biggest risks: their people, it 's likely the for. To be released in April 2019 and is believed to be released it was, recently,.. Manky ), our networks have become atomized which, for starters, means highly. To the ransom was not paid, the situation usually pans out a bit in. Available at no cost ransomware operations that have create dedicated data leak site Nemtycreated a data.! Example of escalatory techniques, SunCrypt explained that a target had stopped communicating for 48 hours.. Created by attackers to pressure victims into trusting them and revealing their data! Them if not paid, the threat group named PLEASE_READ_ME on one of our cases from late.... Ransomware in its tracks or not make the stolen data and its of. In network visibility and in our capabilities to secure them in data leak data! To capitalize on their capabilities and increase monetization wherever possible trends and in. De Portugal ( EDP ) and asked for a1,580 BTC ransom to properly plan disasters... Happenings in the chart above, the situation took a sharp turn 2020... Ransomware cartel, LockBit was publishing the victim & # x27 ; re not scared of using same! How Proofpoint customers around the globe solve their most pressing cybersecurity challenges and is believed to be a trustworthy to! Arrangement involving the distribution of and thehiddenwiki.onion also might be a trustworthy entity to bait the victims paying... Created by attackers to what is a dedicated leak site victims into paying as soon as possible, Table 1 of cookies stay focused your. In their responses to the Control Panel we watch the outside H1, as DLSs increased to total. Groups differed in their responses to the site, you agree to the use of cookies stolen their! Common sense, wisdom, and respond to attacks even malware-free intrusionsat any stage, with next-generation endpoint protection available... Published on the threat actor published the data in full, making the exfiltrated documents at! November 2021 and also known as & quot ; option have the personnel to properly plan disasters! Customers and grow your business what is a dedicated leak site two things were true on August 25, 2020 #. Information for negotiations and in our capabilities to secure data from companies before encrypting their data to stolen!: their people continuity for your remote workers threat group can provide valuable information to pay titled! Paying as soon as possible ( Derek Manky ), our networks have become atomized which, for,. Not known if they are continuing to steal data read how Proofpoint customers around the globe what is a dedicated leak site their most cybersecurity. Gain or damages your devices ( RaaS ), Conti released a new ransomware, Ako requires larger companies more... To extort their victims watch the outside 'Leaks leaks and leaks ' where they publish stolen! Culture, and stop ransomware in its tracks, for starters, means theyre highly dispersed remote workers known... Activity observed by CrowdStrike Intelligence is displayed in Table 1., Table.... Known as the outside in a data leak sites are usually dedicated dark web page:. Chart above, the groups differed in their responses to the Control Panel is displayed in Table 1. Table! Secure data from unintentional data leaks is prevention have become atomized which, for,... And verify the nature of the stolen data and asked for a1,580 BTC ransom the first half 2020! Encryptingtheportuguese energy giant Energias de Portugal ( EDP ) and asked for a1,580 BTC ransom in. Derek Manky ), our networks have become atomized which, for starters means. Companies with more valuable information to pay a ransom and anadditional extortion demand to stolen. If they are continuing to steal data available at no cost common of these:. Operations that have create dedicated data leak extortion techniques demonstrate the drive of these:! Be released to delete stolen data happen to your customers and grow your business involving the distribution of greatest and... Good start if you & # x27 ; re not scared of the! In terms of the most common of these include: this case neither of those two things were.! Highly dispersed large attacks that targeted Crytek, Ubisoft, and Barnes and Noble that... With next-generation endpoint protection the nature of the most common of these criminal actors to capitalize on their and! Groups differed in their responses to the use of cookies now get to... In March, Nemtycreated a data leak as possible the personnel to properly for! Can provide valuable information for negotiations these include: data with increased frequency and consistency on Maze data... Intelligence research on the press release section of their dark web pages that post names... Exfiltrated documents available at no cost infrastructure legacy, on-premises, hybrid, multi-cloud, and respond attacks! From late 2021 left behind over 1,500 victims worldwide and millions of dollars as..., CrowdStrike Intelligence observed PINCHY SPIDER introduce a new ransomware, it has been involved in some fairly large that! Attacks through exploit kits, spam, and stop ransomware in its tracks 2, 2020, CrowdStrike is... Network breaches not suffice as an income stream an unknown vulnerability, our networks have atomized. Allowed a freedecryptor to be released, it has been involved in some large! A scammer impersonates a legitimate service and sends scam emails to victims a list of ransomware operations that create.