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In recent years, the Clop ransomware gang has emerged as one of the most prolific and notorious cybercriminal organizations. Employing sophisticated techniques and constantly evolving their strategies, the group has successfully targeted high-profile organizations worldwide. This article aims to provide an informative profile of the Clop ransomware gang, detailing its history, operations, and recent activities.
History of Clop
Clop originated as a variant of the CryptoMix ransomware family and gained prominence in February 2019 when the threat group known as TA505 employed it in a large-scale spear-phishing email campaign. Operating as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model, Clop was used by a Russian-speaking group and disguised its malicious intent by utilizing verified and digitally signed binaries. This approach allowed the ransomware to evade security detection effectively.
In 2020, the financially motivated hacking group FIN11 started deploying Clop ransomware, leveraging zero-day vulnerabilities in the Kiteworks file transfer appliance. These attacks involved the use of a specific web shell called “DEWMODE” for exfiltrating stolen information. Clop’s operators also began implementing double extortion schemes, where they threatened to publicize and auction off stolen data if their demands were not met.
Clop’s Operations
The Clop ransomware gang exhibits a range of sophisticated techniques in its operations. Unlike other ransomware variants, Clop targets entire networks rather than individual computers, gaining access to the Active Directory (AD) server to persistently infect endpoints. Previous attacks by the group involved large-scale phishing campaigns, utilizing spam emails and malicious attachments to deliver the Clop malware. These attacks often involved various tools, such as SDBOT, FlawedAmmyy, and Cobalt Strike, which facilitated reconnaissance, lateral movement, and exfiltration of data before the deployment of the ransomware.
The group utilizes multiple tactics to coerce victims, including negotiation emails and threats of publicizing stolen information on their dedicated leak site, “Cl0p^_-Leaks.” Clop has even employed quadruple extortion techniques, targeting top executives and customers to exert additional pressure on companies to pay the ransom. By constantly evolving its tactics, Clop has set new trends in the world of cybercrime.
Recent Activities
While the arrests of six suspected Clop members in Ukraine in June 2021 dealt a significant blow to the group, their criminal activities continued throughout 2021 and 2022. However, recent data suggests a slowdown in ransomware deployments, indicating a shift towards data stealing and extortion. Law enforcement and private partners managed to seize parts of Clop’s infrastructure and takedown money laundering channels used for cryptocurrency payments.
In May 2023, the Clop gang exploited critical zero-day vulnerabilities in the MOVEit Transfer and MOVEit Cloud file transfer software, targeting numerous private and public organizations. These attacks focused on stealing sensitive data and extorting companies rather than encrypting systems. The group used a combination of tactics, including data leak threats and demands for negotiations, to pressure victims into complying with their demands.
The Clop ransomware gang has established itself as a formidable threat in the cybersecurity landscape. With a history of high-profile attacks and constantly evolving tactics, the group continues to pose a significant risk to organizations worldwide. Enterprises must remain vigilant and adopt proactive cybersecurity measures to mitigate the threats posed by ransomware groups like Clop. Collaborative efforts between law enforcement, private partners, and cybersecurity professionals are crucial in dismantling such criminal organizations and safeguarding sensitive data from exploitation.
In recent years, the cybercrime landscape has witnessed the emergence of Medusa ransomware, a variant that stands out due to its double-extortion tactics. This article aims to provide an in-depth profile of the Medusa ransomware operation, shedding light on its origins, operational methods, and the threats it poses to organizations. Additionally, we will explore measures organizations can take to mitigate the risks associated with this malicious entity.
Who is Medusa?
Medusa is a human-operated eCrime group known for conducting Big Game Hunting (BGH) operations. This ransomware operation is distinct from other similarly named malware and botnets. Medusa first appeared in June 2021 and has gained prominence due to its high-profile attacks on corporate victims, including the Minneapolis Public School district.
What Does Medusa Do?
Medusa utilizes a sophisticated encryption technique to compromise systems and render files inaccessible to the victims. It employs AES-256 + RSA-2048 encryption using the BCrypt library, ensuring a high level of security for the encrypted data. The ransomware terminates over 280 Windows services and processes, including those related to mail servers, backup servers, database servers, and security software, to prevent interference during the encryption process.
How Does Medusa Operate?
Medusa implements a double-extortion strategy, which involves not only encrypting compromised systems but also exfiltrating sensitive data from the victim organizations. If the ransom demand is not met, the threat actors threaten to publicly release the exfiltrated data, causing significant reputational and financial damage to the victim organizations.
What are Medusa’s Motives?
The primary motivation behind Medusa is financial gain. By targeting corporate victims and employing double extortion, the eCrime group aims to extract significant ransoms from organizations. The threat actors utilize the fear of data exposure to coerce victims into paying substantial sums to regain control of their systems and prevent the public disclosure of sensitive information.
How Can Organizations Prevent Medusa Attacks?
To mitigate the risks associated with Medusa attacks, organizations should adopt comprehensive cybersecurity measures. The following steps are recommended:
- Maintain Regular Backups: Implement a robust backup strategy to ensure that critical data is securely backed up and can be restored in the event of a ransomware attack.
- Keep Software and Systems Updated: Regularly patch and update software and systems to address vulnerabilities that threat actors may exploit.
- Implement Endpoint Protection: Utilize advanced endpoint protection solutions that incorporate behavior-based detection and real-time threat intelligence to identify and mitigate ransomware attacks.
- Conduct Employee Training: Educate employees about phishing attacks and other social engineering techniques commonly used to distribute ransomware. Encourage them to exercise caution while opening email attachments or clicking on suspicious links.
- Utilize Network Segmentation: Implement network segmentation to restrict lateral movement in the event of a successful compromise and minimize the impact of a ransomware attack.
- Deploy Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enable MFA for critical systems and accounts to provide an additional layer of security against unauthorized access attempts.
Medusa Ransomware presents a significant threat to organizations worldwide, employing double-extortion methods to extract substantial ransoms. By understanding the operational methods and motivations of this eCrime group, organizations can take proactive steps to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and prevent or mitigate the risks associated with Medusa Ransomware attacks. Implementing a combination of preventive measures, including regular backups, system updates, employee training, and advanced endpoint protection, can help organizations safeguard their valuable data and maintain business.
In today’s ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, staying ahead of emerging threats is crucial. One threat that has recently taken the stage is the Cactus Ransomware Group. This clandestine organization has captured the attention of cybersecurity professionals worldwide, causing significant concern. In this blog post, we aim to explore the inner workings, tactics, and effective mitigation strategies associated with the Cactus Ransomware Group.
The Cactus Ransomware Group is a collective of cybercriminals whose whereabouts are currently unknown and are notable for their deployment of sophisticated ransomware attacks targeting large commercial entities.
The Cactus Ransomware Group’s modus operandi is rooted in the deployment of ransomware and exfiltrating sensitive information. The group’s methods reflect a high degree of technical proficiency. They leverage vulnerabilities in VPN appliances to gain initial access to a network. Once inside, they methodically navigate laterally through the system and deploy remote monitoring and management tools to maintain persistence. After systems containing sensitive data have been identified, the group uses the Rclone tool to exfiltrate data and then will deploy the ransomware program using a script called TotalExec.ps1 (often used by BlackBasta).
The damage caused by the Cactus Ransomware Group extends beyond the immediate financial losses incurred from paying ransoms. The recovery process often entails significant cost and time investment, including system restoration, data recovery, and strengthening security measures. Moreover, indirect impacts such as reputational damage, potential regulatory fines, and loss of customer trust can far exceed the initial ransom amount.
Countering the Cactus Ransomware Group—and ransomware threats in general—requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some recommended mitigation strategies:
- Regular Backup: Regularly backing up important data and testing restore processes can help organizations recover more quickly following a ransomware attack.
- Patch Management: Keeping all software, operating systems, and firmware up to date helps eliminate vulnerabilities that ransomware groups often exploit.
- Employee Education: As phishing emails are often used to gain initial access, educating employees about the risks of phishing and how to spot such attempts is crucial.
- Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra layer of security that can prevent unauthorized access even if credentials are compromised.
- Incident Response Plan: Organizations should have a clear and tested incident response plan in place to react swiftly and efficiently when a ransomware attack occurs.
The increasing sophistication and persistence of the Cactus Ransomware Group illustrate the grim reality of our digital age. As long as ransomware remains profitable, these groups will continue to exist and evolve. Therefore, organizations need to take a proactive stance, prioritizing cybersecurity investments, fostering a culture of security awareness, and implementing robust incident response plans.
As many as 1.6 million WordPress sites have been targeted by an active large-scale attack campaign originating from 16,000 IP addresses by exploiting weaknesses in four plugins and 15 Epsilon Framework themes.
WordPress security company Wordfence, which disclosed details of the attacks, said Thursday it had detected and blocked more than 13.7 million attacks aimed at the plugins and themes in a period of 36 hours with the goal of taking over the websites and carrying out malicious actions.
The plugins in question are Kiwi Social Share (<= 2.0.10), WordPress Automatic (<= 3.53.2), Pinterest Automatic (<= 4.14.3), and PublishPress Capabilities (<= 2.3), some of which have been patched dating all the way back to November 2018. The impacted Epsilon Framework themes and their corresponding versions are as follow —
- Activello (<=1.4.1)
- Affluent (<1.1.0)
- Allegiant (<=1.2.5)
- Antreas (<=1.0.6)
- Bonkers (<=1.0.5)
- Brilliance (<=1.2.9)
- Illdy (<=2.1.6)
- MedZone Lite (<=1.2.5)
- NatureMag Lite (no known patch available)
- NewsMag (<=2.4.1)
- Newspaper X (<=1.3.1)
- Pixova Lite (<=2.0.6)
- Regina Lite (<=2.0.5)
- Shapely (<=1.2.8)
- Transcend (<=1.1.9)
Most of the attacks observed by Wordfence involve the adversary updating the “users_can_register” (i.e., anyone can register) option to enabled and setting the “default_role” setting (i.e., the default role of users who register at the blog) to administrator, thereby allowing an adversary to register on the vulnerable sites as an administrator and seize control.
What’s more, the intrusions are said to have spiked only after December 8, indicating that “the recently patched vulnerability in PublishPress Capabilities may have sparked attackers to target various Arbitrary Options Update vulnerabilities as part of a massive campaign,” Wordfence’s Chloe Chamberland said.
In light of active exploitation, WordPress site owners running any of the aforementioned plugins or themes are recommended to apply the latest fixes to mitigate the threat.
A Russian national, who was arrested in South Korea last month and extradited to the U.S. on October 20, appeared in a federal court in the state of Ohio on Thursday to face charges for his alleged role as a member of the infamous TrickBot group.
Court documents showed that Vladimir Dunaev, 38, along with other members of the transnational, cybercriminal organization, stole money and confidential information from unsuspecting victims, including individuals, financial institutions, school districts, utility companies, government entities, and private businesses.
Starting its roots as a banking trojan in 2016, TrickBot has evolved into a modular, multi-stage Windows-based crimeware solution capable of pilfering valuable personal and financial information, and even dropping ransomware and post-exploitation toolkits on compromised devices. The malware is also notorious for its resilience, having survived at least two takedowns spearheaded by Microsoft and the U.S. Cyber Command a year ago.
However, on the legal front, the U.S. government earlier this year charged a 55-year-old Latvian woman named Alla “Max” Witte, who the prosecutors said worked as a programmer “overseeing the creation of code related to the monitoring and tracking of authorized users of the Trickbot malware.” Dunaev is the second Trickbot defendant to be arrested in 2021.
Dunaev, specifically, is said to have worked as a developer for the group, in charge of creating, deploying, and managing the Trickbot malware beginning in November 2015, while also overseeing the malware’s execution, as well as designing Firefox web browser modifications and helping to hide the malware from detection by security software.
In early September, South Korean media outlets reported the arrest of Dunaev (then identified only as “Mr. A”) at the Incheon International Airport when attempting to depart for Russia after being stranded in the country for over a year due to COVID-19. The suspect, who arrived in February 2020, also had his passport expired in the interim period, forcing him to stay in a hotel while awaiting for a replacement.
But once the passport was re-issued, the defendant tried to leave for his native home in Russia, leading to his arrest pursuant to an extradition request from the U.S. Dunaev has been charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and multiple counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
If found guilty on all counts, the defendant faces a total prison term of 60 years.
“Trickbot attacked businesses and victims across the globe and infected millions of computers for theft and ransom, including networks of schools, banks, municipal governments, and companies in the health care, energy, and agriculture sectors,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in a statement.
“This is another success for the Department’s recently launched Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force in dismantling ransomware groups and disrupting the cybercriminal ecosystem that allows ransomware to exist and to threaten our critical infrastructure,” O. Monaco added.
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BYOD
The current landscape has changed dramatically. Businesses have had to adapt to new challenges, one of these challenges is accommodating the current workforce. In the age of digital technology, more employees would rather use their own device, such as a laptop, tablet, or phone. Bring Your Own Device or BYOD for short, is a trend that has caught on quickly. Now what impact does this have on a business you may ask? BYOD has given business’s new opportunities for growth. Business owners are under constant pressure to allow BYOD on highly secure enterprise networks. Most employees feel more comfortable using their own devices. BYOD policies can work out well for both business owners and employees if there is a clear understanding of the policies and procedures.
There are many positives to implementing a BYOD policy. The use of BYOD devices affords many opportunities for businesses. BYOD allows for increase productivity, cost savings, improved employee loyalty, and the ability to work from anywhere at any time.
When an employee can use their own device, this allows for more flexibility and comfortability. Having the flexibility of working with a personal device allows employees the ability to do their work and stay connected with their personal life. This can effectively reduce stress and increase an employee’s overall productivity.
BYOD offers a company the benefit of cutting down on cost significantly. Since these are personal devices there is no need for companies to pay for maintenance cost, device cost and hardware cost. Most of the cost is paid by the employee.
A precise BYOD strategy can help to increase overall employee loyalty to a business by allowing them to control their own work. This empowers an employee, giving them the ability to work offsite with their own personal device.
Although, BYOD policies have many pros for a business there are a few challenges as well. It is up to the business to lay out a well-defined policy when it comes to allowing a the use of personal devices. It is also up to the employee to follow the best practices for a BYOD policy. Some of the major challenges a business will face is security control, employee privacy, hacking and corporate IT policies.
Security control and control of data is a crucial first step when it comes to protecting an enterprise network. Allowing the use of personal devices will increase the need for control over data with the privacy of employees in mind. With many employees using their own device a company must be able to control the data that users have access to and ensure it is not allowed to leave the enterprise network. There are many applications that can be used to secure data on mobile devices. Data securement and device compliance are paramount to ensuring overall security.
All devices on the enterprise network should be monitored for device behavior and data exchange. It can be easy for a personal device to fall victim to a cyber-attack. The BYOD strategy should be implemented with safety and security of business information in mind. Monitoring the inflow and outflow of business data is crucial to security. A business must be able to track emails and spam to prevent phishing attacks on a network.
Corporate IT polices must be implemented. These policies will give an employee a thorough guideline of rules and expectations to follow. Having a well laid out policy will allow for the best communication as to what best practices to follow as well as the employee’s rights, obligations and consequences in breaching policies.
Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) will continue to be the preferred business strategy for the many years to come. This means businesses must be ready with the proper resources to handle the rising security needs. When implementing a BYOD policy every step must be well planned out to ensure proper implementation and security. If implemented properly the pros far out weight the cons in choosing to allow for the use of BYOD devices.
The Russia-based agency behind last year’s massive SolarWinds cyberattack has tried to hack another 140 tech companies, its latest intrusion into US cyber infrastructure.
Microsoft says that Nobelium’s latest hack targeted ‘resellers and other technology service providers that customize, deploy and manage cloud services.’ Fourteen firms successfully had their defenses breached, although they haven’t been named, and further information on the nature of the hacks have not been shared.
The goal of Nobelium, which is widely-believed to be working for Russia’s SVR intelligence agency, is to impersonate the technology companies and gain access to their downstream customers.
The move would target any company that uses the products and services of the companies that were attacked.
Only 14 of the resellers and service providers have been compromised in this latest round, Microsoft said as it continues to investigate the scope of the breach.
US cybersecurity officials could not be immediately reached to confirm the report.
US officials confirmed to the New York Times that the operation was underway.
One unnamed senior administration official called it an ‘unsophisticated, run-of-the mill operations that could have been prevented if the cloud service providers had implemented baseline cybersecurity practices.’
Nobelium did not appear to exploit any software vulnerabilities and instead focused on a tried-and-true method of stealing legitimate login credentials to privileged access, Microsoft notes.
In its blog post, Microsoft wrote: ‘This recent activity is another indicator that Russia is trying to gain long-term, systematic access to a variety of points in the technology supply chain and establish a mechanism for surveilling – now or in the future – targets of interest to the Russian government.’
The SolarWinds attack hurt an estimated 18,000 SolarWinds customers who downloaded compromised software updates. The updates allowed the alleged Russian hackers to access their servers, though the explicit intent of the breaches is not yet known.
The breach went on to expose the information of at least nine US federal agencies.
Today, nearly every business operates in some form on the internet. With that understanding, every business is at risk of being targeted and victimized by sophisticated cyber-attacks. Common victims include vital information, secured systems/networks, and the integrity of said companies. However, there’s another affected party that may not be addressed enough; our children. Securing your business infrastructure from cybercriminals protects our most important assets.
An example of this can be found in the arena of “Smart Toys”. The 2015 breach of Vtech compromised vital information (name, gender, birth dates, etc.) of over 6 million parents and children. The successful attack was attributed to the lack of cybersecurity Best Practices such as keeping up with industry standards with encryption algorithms. Implementing internal network appliances is one example of counteracting malicious attempts on secured networks.
More recent instances of cybercriminal activity can be found in the video game industry. Referenced from content delivery network Akamai; “web application attacks against gaming companies rose by 340 percent between 2019 and 2020 and by as much as 415 percent between 2018 and 2020”. Different types of techniques were used to include SQL Injection (SQLi), Local File Inclusion (LFI), and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). These attacks can extract data, inject malware, and gain access. Worst of all exposing our children to content without proper guidance.
Cybersecurity is a never-ending endeavor that grows in complexity with each passing year. Even though its success is largely measured in the meeting room and seen through the lens of man hours and uptime. Cybersecurity is also an ally in the protection of an unquantifiable metric, our future.
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Future Trends within Cloud Security
What’s happening
95% of companies have a presence within the cloud. Many organizations don’t realize they are active within the “cloud,” even though they have a massive amount of data within programs such as Microsoft office 365.
Since the pandemic, many businesses shifted over to cloud-based apps and systems for the first time. In order to reduce an outbreak of violations due to “beginner mistakes” in 2021. New cloud users and organizations will need to look precisely at their security posture.
What it means
- Do not assume the new cloud service providers will secure your own cloud environment, and don’t forget to take responsibility for your company’s networks and user controls.
- Human error is the leading cause of cloud breaches as well as misconfiguration of the cloud solution. Cloud providers may offer access and identity management tools to reduce errors.
- Proper use of the tools offered by the solution provider will assist with logging and monitoring, keeping businesses on track with any unsanctioned access login attempts.