Blog 133 # Ransomware Report 2024: Expanded Realm Summary with Additional Ransomware Group Activities
Umang Mehta
Doctorate Candidate | Award-Winning Cybersecurity & GRC Expert | Contributor to Global Cyber Resilience | Cybersecurity Thought Leader | Speaker & Blogger | Researcher | Cybersecurity Thought Leader and Writer |
Ransomware Groups Active in 2024:
- LockBit
- Play
- 8Base
- Akira
- BlackBasta
- Medusa
- BlackHunt
- Rhysida
- Mallox
- 3AM
- CIOp
- Royal
These ransomware groups have been at the forefront of attacks in 2024, using advanced techniques and maintaining leak sites to coerce victims into paying ransoms. Below is a detailed summary of the realms targeted by these groups in 2024, including their specific activities.
1. Backup
Key Findings:
- Increased Focus on Backups: Ransomware groups like LockBit, BlackHunt, and Royal have intensified their efforts to corrupt or encrypt backups, knowing that this can severely impact an organization's ability to recover without paying a ransom. Leak sites associated with these groups often claim responsibility for destroying backup data.
- Advanced Backup Tactics: Groups like Rhysida and Mallox have employed techniques to silently compromise backup systems before initiating encryption, making it more challenging for organizations to detect and respond to the attack.
- Air-Gapped Solutions: 3AM and Akira have been less successful against organizations that employ air-gapped backup solutions, though they continue to seek ways to circumvent these protections.
Leak Site Insights:
- Destroyed Backup Proofs: BlackHunt and CIOp have used leak sites to publish proof of destroyed or corrupted backups, pressuring victims to pay up.
- Stolen Backup Data: Rhysida and Mallox have increasingly listed backup data for sale on their leak sites, indicating a shift towards data exfiltration before encryption.
Recommendations:
- Implement and regularly test air-gapped, encrypted backups.
- Monitor for any suspicious activity within backup systems to detect potential compromises.
- Stay informed about the tactics of ransomware groups like BlackHunt and Royal by monitoring their leak sites.
2. Firewall (FW)
Key Findings:
- Exploiting Misconfigurations: Groups like Play, BlackBasta, and Royal continue to exploit firewall misconfigurations to gain unauthorized access to networks. Leak sites have highlighted cases where attackers used misconfigured firewalls to penetrate otherwise secure environments.
- Advanced Evasion Techniques: Mallox and CIOp have developed sophisticated evasion techniques to bypass firewalls, even those with advanced security measures in place.
- ZTNA Adoption: Adoption of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is growing, providing a significant defense against groups like Akira and 3AM, who often rely on lateral movement within networks after breaching firewalls.
Leak Site Insights:
- Exposed Firewall Rules: Leak sites connected to Rhysida and Mallox have occasionally published firewall rules, exposing critical vulnerabilities that were exploited in successful attacks.
- Network Diagrams: BlackHunt and Royal sometimes leak detailed network diagrams on their sites, showing how they breached firewalls and moved laterally.
Recommendations:
- Regularly review and update firewall configurations to close potential vulnerabilities.
- Consider adopting ZTNA to limit lateral movement within your network.
- Monitor leak sites for exposed firewall configurations that could impact your organization.
3. Email
Key Findings:
- Phishing as Primary Attack Vector: Medusa, Akira, and Royal have continued to use phishing as their primary method for delivering ransomware, with a high success rate. Leak sites often feature stolen email data or phishing kits that were used in successful campaigns.
- Enhanced Email Security: Organizations that have implemented advanced email security solutions have fared better against attacks from BlackHunt and Play, though the threat remains significant.
- Employee Training: Training employees to recognize phishing attempts has proven effective in reducing the success rate of attacks by groups like 8Base and Mallox.
Leak Site Insights:
- Stolen Email Data: Akira and CIOp have been known to exfiltrate entire email inboxes, later selling the data on leak sites to other cybercriminals.
- Phishing Kit Market: BlackBasta and Rhysida have been associated with selling phishing kits on their leak sites, indicating a thriving market for tools that enable further attacks.
Recommendations:
- Deploy advanced email filtering solutions and conduct regular phishing simulations.
- Train employees on best practices for email security, emphasizing the dangers of phishing.
- Monitor for stolen email data on leak sites to prevent further exposure.
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4. Database
Key Findings:
- Database Encryption and Theft: LockBit, BlackBasta, and BlackHunt continue to target databases, encrypting or exfiltrating sensitive information. Leak sites have seen an increase in stolen database dumps, particularly from organizations with inadequate encryption practices.
- Exploitation of Vulnerabilities: Groups like Play, Mallox, and Royal have capitalized on unpatched database vulnerabilities, leading to significant breaches. These incidents are often highlighted on leak sites with detailed descriptions of the exploited weaknesses.
- Database Backup Strategy: Organizations that maintain regular, secure backups have been more resilient against attacks by Akira and 3AM.
Leak Site Insights:
- Auctioning Database Dumps: CIOp and Rhysida frequently auction off stolen databases on their leak sites, posing a significant risk to organizations with poor database security.
- Exposed Database Credentials: Leak sites connected to Mallox and Medusa have occasionally published stolen database credentials, enabling further attacks by other groups.
Recommendations:
- Encrypt sensitive data within databases and regularly update encryption methods.
- Apply security patches promptly to protect against known vulnerabilities.
- Implement robust database backup strategies and monitor for potential leaks on known ransomware sites.
5. Application
Key Findings:
- Application Vulnerabilities: Applications, particularly those exposed to the internet, are prime targets for groups like 8Base, Akira, and Royal. Leak sites frequently list stolen source code or unpatched vulnerabilities as leverage in ransom negotiations.
- Security Testing: Regular security testing has reduced the success rate of attacks from LockBit and Play, although many organizations still lack comprehensive testing protocols.
- DevSecOps Practices: The adoption of DevSecOps has helped reduce risks from Medusa and BlackHunt, integrating security into every stage of the development lifecycle.
Leak Site Insights:
- Leaked Source Code: Source code leaks, often associated with 8Base and Rhysida, appear frequently on their respective leak sites, creating opportunities for further exploitation by other attackers.
- Application Vulnerabilities: Leak sites sometimes list critical application vulnerabilities that have been exploited by Akira and Royal, providing a roadmap for additional attacks.
Recommendations:
- Regularly update and patch all applications to close security gaps.
- Implement continuous security testing, especially for applications exposed to the internet.
- Adopt DevSecOps practices to integrate security into the development process and monitor for leaks of application code or vulnerabilities.
6. Web Server
Key Findings:
- Web Server Exploits: Web servers continue to be a frequent target for ransomware groups like BlackBasta, Mallox, and Medusa. Exploits often involve unpatched vulnerabilities or weak configurations, leading to significant breaches. Leak sites detail these attacks, often with step-by-step guides on how the web server was compromised.
- WAF Effectiveness: Properly configured Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) have been effective in mitigating attacks from Play and 8Base. However, sophisticated attacks from groups like BlackHunt and CIOp have occasionally bypassed these defenses.
- SSL/TLS Attacks: Weak SSL/TLS configurations continue to be exploited by groups like LockBit and Akira, allowing attackers to intercept and manipulate traffic to or from web servers.
Leak Site Insights:
- Compromised Web Servers: BlackBasta and 3AM frequently list compromised web server configurations on their leak sites, providing insight into how they breached these systems.
- Stolen Web Data: Medusa and Rhysida have increasingly listed stolen web server data on their sites, sometimes including sensitive customer information or internal company communications.
Recommendations:
- Regularly update and patch web server software to close security gaps.
- Deploy and properly configure Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to protect against web-based attacks.
- Strengthen SSL/TLS configurations to eliminate vulnerabilities and prevent data interception.
Conclusion
The 2024 Ransomware Report underscores the diverse and evolving tactics used by a wide array of ransomware groups, including LockBit, Play, 8Base, Akira, BlackBasta, Medusa, BlackHunt, Rhysida, Mallox, 3AM, CIOp, and Royal. By staying informed about their activities, monitoring leak sites, and implementing robust security measures, organizations can better protect themselves from the increasing threat of ransomware.
Reference
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