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Showing posts with label Extortion. Show all posts
Ransomware
AI Cloud Cyber Crime Data Extortion Internet Ransomware

Former Cybersecurity Employees Involved in Ransomware Extortion Incidents Worth Millions


It is very unfortunate and shameful for the cybersecurity industry, when cybersecurity professionals themselves betray trust to launch cyberattacks against their own country. In a shocking incident, two men have admitted to working normal jobs as cybersecurity professionals during the day, while moonlighting as cyber attackers.

About accused

An ex-employee of the Israeli cybersecurity company Sygnia has pleaded guilty to federal crimes in the US for having involvement in ransomware cyberattacks aimed to extort millions of dollars from firms in the US. 

The culprit, Ryan Clifford Goldberg, worked as a cyber incident response supervisor at Sygnia, and accepted that he was involved in a year-long plan of attacking business around the US. 

Kevin Tyler Martin, another associate,who worked as an ex DigitalMint employee, worked as a negotiation intermediary with the threat actors, a role supposed to help ransomware targets, has also accepted involvement. 

The situation is particularly disturbing because both men held positions of trust inside the sector established to fight against such threats.

Accused pled guilty to extortion charges 

Both the accused have pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to manipulate commerce via extortion, according to federal court records. In the plea statement, they have accepted that along with a third actor (not charged and unknown), they both launched business compromises and ransom extortions over many years. 

Extortion worth millions 

In one incident, the actors successfully extorted over $1 million in crypto from a Florida based medical equipment firm. According to the federal court, besides their legitimate work, they deployed software ‘ALPHV BlackCat’ to extract and encode target’s data, and distributed the extortion money with the software’s developers. 

According to DigitalMint, two of the people who were charged were ex-employees. After the incident, both were fired and “acted wholly outside the scope of their employment and without any authorization, knowledge or involvement from the company,” DigitalMint said in an email shared with Bloomberg.

In a recent conversation with Bloomberg, Sygnia mentioned that it was not a target of the investigation and the accused Goldberg was relieved of his duties as soon as the news became known.

A representative for Sygnia declined to speak further, and Goldberg and Martin's lawyers also declined to comment on the report.

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Ransomware
BlackCat Cyber Attacks Extortion FinCEN LockBit Ransomware

FinCEN: Ransomware Gangs Extorted Over $2.1B from 2022 to 2024

 

FinCEN’s most recent report has revealed that ransomware activity reached a new peak in 2023, accumulating over $1.1 billion in payments before a decline in 2024, as law enforcement pursued major gangs such as ALPHV/BlackCat, LockBit. In general, FinCEN data reveals $2.1 billion in ransoms paid from 2022 through 2024, and about $4.5 billion from 2013 to 2024. 

FinCEN’s findings draw on thousands of Bank Secrecy Act reports, that registered 4,194 ransomware incidents between January 2022 and December 2024. Ransomware earnings peaked 2023 with 1,512 incidents and a 77% increase in payouts from 2022, but dropped to nearly $734 million in 1,476 incidents during 2024, decrease attributed to the global disruption of the BlackCat and LockBit operations. These takedowns left affiliates to either transition to other ransomware brands or try to rebuild. 

The report does note that most single ransom amounts were under $250,000, although some sectors consistently took the biggest hits. By number of incidents, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, retail, and legal services were the most frequently targeted industries from 2022 to 2024. By total losses, financial services led with about $365.6 million paid, followed by healthcare, manufacturing, science and technology, and retail, each suffering hundreds of millions in extorted funds.

Over the period under review, FinCEN counted 267 unique ransomware families; however, a handful caused the majority of distraught. Akira accounted for the most reports (376), followed by ALPHV/BlackCat with the highest earnings at close to $395 million, and LockBit with $252.4 million. As for the top 10 most active groups, they were a combined $1.5 billion between 2022 and 2024, featuring Black Basta, Royal, BianLian, Hive, Medusa, and Phobos. 

The flow of money is still largely in cryptocurrency, with around 97% of ransom payments in Bitcoin and the remainder in Monero, Ether, Litecoin and Tether. Notification of Ransomware Incident to FBI FinCEN stressed that routine, detailed reporting of ransomware incidents to the FBI and ransom payments to FinCEN continues to be critical to enable tracking of funds, further disrupting them, and sustaining the pressure that resulted in the decline noted in 2024.
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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
AI Anthropic Cyber Crime Extortion Ransomware

Cybercriminals Weaponize AI for Large-Scale Extortion and Ransomware Attacks

 

AI company Anthropic has uncovered alarming evidence that cybercriminals are weaponizing artificial intelligence tools for sophisticated criminal operations. The company's recent investigation revealed three particularly concerning applications of its Claude AI: large-scale extortion campaigns, fraudulent recruitment schemes linked to North Korea, and AI-generated ransomware development. 

Criminal AI applications emerge 

In what Anthropic describes as an "unprecedented" case, hackers utilized Claude to conduct comprehensive reconnaissance across 17 different organizations, systematically gathering usernames and passwords to infiltrate targeted networks.

The AI tool autonomously executed multiple malicious functions, including determining valuable data for exfiltration, calculating ransom demands based on victims' financial capabilities, and crafting threatening language to coerce compliance from targeted companies. 

The investigation also uncovered North Korean operatives employing Claude to create convincing fake personas capable of passing technical coding evaluations during job interviews with major U.S. technology firms. Once successfully hired, these operatives leveraged the AI to fulfill various technical responsibilities on their behalf, potentially gaining access to sensitive corporate systems and information. 

Additionally, Anthropic discovered that individuals with limited technical expertise were using Claude to develop complete ransomware packages, which were subsequently marketed online to other cybercriminals for prices reaching $1,200 per package. 

Defensive AI measures 

Recognizing AI's potential for both offense and defense, ethical security researchers and companies are racing to develop protective applications. XBOW, a prominent player in AI-driven vulnerability discovery, has demonstrated significant success using artificial intelligence to identify software flaws. The company's integration of OpenAI's GPT-5 model resulted in substantial performance improvements, enabling the discovery of "vastly more exploits" than previous methods.

Earlier this year, XBOW's AI-powered systems topped HackerOne's leaderboard for vulnerability identification, highlighting the technology's potential for legitimate security applications. Multiple organizations focused on offensive and defensive strategies are now exploring AI agents to infiltrate corporate networks for defense and intelligence purposes, assisting IT departments in identifying vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. 

Emerging cybersecurity arms race 

The simultaneous adoption of AI technologies by both cybersecurity defenders and criminal actors has initiated what experts characterize as a new arms race in digital security. This development represents a fundamental shift where AI systems are pitted against each other in an escalating battle between protection and exploitation. 

The race's outcome remains uncertain, but security experts emphasize the critical importance of equipping legitimate defenders with advanced AI tools before they fall into criminal hands. Success in this endeavor could prove instrumental in thwarting the emerging wave of AI-fueled cyberattacks that are becoming increasingly sophisticated and autonomous. 

This evolution marks a significant milestone in cybersecurity, as artificial intelligence transitions from merely advising on attack strategies to actively executing complex criminal operations independently.
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Windows
AI Android Apple Extortion Internet malware Ransomware Windows

Latest Malware "Mamona" Attacks Locally, Hides by Self Deletion

Latest Malware "Mamona" Attacks Locally, Hides by Self Deletion

Cybersecurity experts are tracing Mamona, a new ransomware strain that is famous for its stripped-down build and silent local execution. Experts believe that the ransomware prevents the usual command-and-control (C2) servers, choosing instead a self-contained method that moves past tools relying on network traffic analysis.  

The malware is executed locally on a Windows system as a standalone binary file. The offline approach reveals a blind spot in traditional defenses, raising questions about how even the best antivirus and detection mechanisms will work when there is no network.

Self-deletion and escape techniques make detection difficult

Once executed, it starts a three-second delay via a modified ping command, ”cmd.exe /C ping 127.0.0.7 -n 3 > Nul & Del /f /q.” After this, it self-deletes. The self-deletion helps to eliminate forensic artifacts that make it difficult for experts to track or examine the malware after it has been executed. 

The malware uses 127.0.0.7 instead of the popular 127.0.0.1, which helps in evading detection measures. This tactic escapes simple detection tests and doesn’t leave digital traces that older file-based scanners might tag. The malware also drops a ransom note titled README.HAes.txt and renames impacted files with the .HAes extension. This means the encryption was successful. 

“We integrated Sysmon with Wazuh to enrich logs from the infected endpoint and created Wazuh detection rules to identify malicious behaviour associated with Mamona ransomware,” said Wazuh in a blog post.

Spotting Mamona

Wazuh has alerted that the “plug-and-play” nature of the malware makes it easy for cybercriminals and helps in the commodization of ransomware. This change highlights an urgent need for robust inspections of what stands as the best ransomware protection when such attacks do not need remote control infrastructure. Wazu’s method to track Mamona involves combining Sysom for log capture and employing custom rules to flag particular behaviours like ransom note creation and ping-based delays.

According to TechRadar, “Rule 100901 targets the creation of the README.HAes.txt file, while Rule 100902 confirms the presence of ransomware when both ransom note activity and the delay/self-delete sequence appear together.”

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Ransomware
AI Cyber Security Dark Web Extortion Internet Ransomware

Investigation Reveals Employee Secretly Helped in Extortion Payments

Investigation Reveals Employee Secretly Helped in Extortion Payments

Employee helped in ransomware operations

Federal agents are investigating allegations that a former employee of a Chicago-based firm, DigitalMint, which specializes in cryptocurrency payments and ransomware negotiations, may have profited by collaborating with hackers in extortion cases. Founded in 2014, DigitalMint operates under the name Red Leaf Chicago and is recognized for securing cryptocurrency payments for companies that face ransomware threats. 

About DigitalMint

DigitalMint has taken over 2,000 ransomware cases since 2017, offering services like direct negotiations with hackers and incident response. The clients range from small firms to Fortune 500 companies. 

DigitalMint President Marc Jason told partner firms that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is investigating the allegations. The employee (identity unknown) was sacked soon after the scam was found. According to Bloomberg, Grens said, “As soon as we were able, we began communicating the facts to affected stakeholders.” 

About the investigation

DigitalMint is currently working with the DoJ, and it clarified that the company is not the target of investigation. Grens did not provide more details as the investigation is ongoing. The DoJ declined to offer any comments. 

The incident has led a few firms to warn clients against dealing with DigitalMint, concerned about the dangers involved in ransomware deals. Ransomware attacks can compromise systems, leak sensitive information, and encrypt data. The ransom demands sometimes go upto millions of dollars, worldwide, the extortion attacks cost billions of dollars every year.

Is ransomware negotiation worth it?

The controversy has also raised questions about conflicts of interest in the ransomware negotiation industry. According to James Talientoo, chief executive of the cyber intelligence services company AFTRDRK, “A negotiator is not incentivized to drive the price down or to inform the victim of all the facts if the company they work for is profiting off the size of the demand paid. Plain and simple.”

Security experts cautioned that paying ransom is a dangerous effort, even when done by expert ransom negotiation firms. A payment helps in furthering the operations of ransomware gangs, and sometimes it can also lead to further attacks.

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North Korea
AI Artificial Intelligence Cloud Cyber Crime Data Deepfakes Extortion Internet lazarus North Korea

Amid Federal Crackdown, Microsoft Warns Against Rising North Korean Jobs Scams

Amid Federal Crackdown, Microsoft Warns Against Rising North Korean Jobs Scams

North Korean hackers are infiltrating high-profile US-based tech firms through scams. Recently, they have even advanced their tactics, according to the experts. In a recent investigation by Microsoft, the company has requested its peers to enforce stronger pre-employment verification measures and make policies to stop unauthorized IT management tools. 

Further investigation by the US government revealed that these actors were working to steal money for the North Korean government and use the funds to run its government operations and its weapons program.  

US imposes sanctions against North Korea

The US has imposed strict sanctions on North Korea, which restrict US companies from hiring North Korean nationals. It has led to threat actors making fake identities and using all kinds of tricks (such as VPNs) to obscure their real identities and locations. This is being done to avoid getting caught and get easily hired. 

Recently, the threat actors have started using spoof tactics such as voice-changing tools and AI-generated documents to appear credible. In one incident, the scammers somehow used an individual residing in New Jersey, who set up shell companies to fool victims into believing they were paying a legitimate local business. The same individual also helped overseas partners to get recruited. 

DoJ arrests accused

The clever campaign has now come to an end, as the US Department of Justice (DoJ) arrested and charged a US national called Zhenxing “Danny” Wanf with operating a “year-long” scam. The scheme earned over $5 million. The agency also arrested eight more people - six Chinese and two Taiwanese nationals. The arrested individuals are charged with money laundering, identity theft, hacking, sanctions violations, and conspiring to commit wire fraud.

In addition to getting paid in these jobs, which Microsoft says is a hefty payment, these individuals also get access to private organization data. They exploit this access by stealing sensitive information and blackmailing the company.

Lazarus group behind such scams

One of the largest and most infamous hacking gangs worldwide is the North Korean state-sponsored group, Lazarus. According to experts, the gang extorted billions of dollars from the Korean government through similar scams. The entire campaign is popular as “Operation DreamJob”. 

"To disrupt this activity and protect our customers, we’ve suspended 3,000 known Microsoft consumer accounts (Outlook/Hotmail) created by North Korean IT workers," said Microsoft.

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Social Engineering
Cyber Attacks Extortion FBI Luna Moth Ransomware attack Social Engineering

FBI Warns of Luna Moth Ransomware Attacks Targeting U.S. Law Firms

 

The FBI said that over the last two years, an extortion group known as the Silent Ransom Group has targeted U.S. law firms through callback phishing and social engineering tactics. 

This threat outfit, also known as Luna Moth, Chatty Spider, and UNC3753, has been active since 2022. It was also responsible for BazarCall campaigns, which provided initial access to corporate networks for Ryuk and Conti ransomware assaults. Following Conti's shutdown in March 2022, the threat actors broke away from the cybercrime syndicate and created their own operation known as the Silent Ransom Group.

In recent attacks, SRG mimics the targets' IT help via email, bogus websites, and phone conversations, gaining access to their networks via social engineering tactics. This extortion group does not encrypt victims' systems and is infamous for demanding ransoms in order to keep sensitive information stolen from hacked devices from being leaked online. 

"SRG will then direct the employee to join a remote access session, either through an email sent to them, or navigating to a web page. Once the employee grants access to their device, they are told that work needs to be done overnight," the FBI stated in a private industry notification.

"Once in the victim's device, a typical SRG attack involves minimal privilege escalation and quickly pivots to data exfiltration conducted through 'WinSCP' (Windows Secure Copy) or a hidden or renamed version of 'Rclone.'” 

After acquiring the victims' data, they use ransom emails to blackmail them, threatening to sell or publish the information. They frequently call employees of breached organisations and force them into ransom negotiations. While they have a dedicated website for disclosing their victims' data, the FBI claims the extortion ring does not always followup on its data leak promises. 

To guard against these attacks, the FBI recommends adopting strong passwords, activating two-factor authentication for all employees, performing regular data backups, and teaching personnel on recognising phishing efforts.

The FBI's warning follows a recent EclecticIQ report detailing SRG attacks targeting legal and financial institutions in the United States, with attackers observed registering domains to "impersonate IT helpdesk or support portals for major U.S. law firms and financial services firms, using typosquatted patterns.”

A recent EclecticIQ report about SRG attacks against American legal and financial institutions revealed that the attackers were registering domains to "impersonate IT helpdesk or support portals for major U.S. law firms and financial services firms, using typosquatted patterns." The FBI issued the warning in response to this information. 

Malicious emails with fake helpdesk numbers are being sent to victims, prompting them to call in order to fix a variety of non-existent issues. On the other hand, Luna Moth operators would try to deceive employees of targeted firms into installing remote monitoring & management (RMM) software via phoney IT help desk websites by posing as IT staff.

Once the RMM tool is installed and started, the threat actors have direct keyboard access, allowing them to search for valuable documents on compromised devices and shared drivers, which will then be exfiltrated via Rclone (cloud syncing) or WinSCP (SFTP). According to EclecticIQ, the Silent Ransom Group sends ransom demands ranging from one to eight million USD, depending on the size of the hacked company.
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