Clop ransomware targets Windchill, FlexPLM in data theft attacks
The Clop ransomware gang (also tracked as Cl0p) is targeting Internet-exposed PTC Windchill and FlexPLM instances in a new data theft extortion campaign. [...]
Chaos Ransomware Uses msaRAT to Route C2 Traffic Through Headless Chrome and Edge
The Chaos ransomware group ran its command-and-control through the victim's own browser. Cisco Talos on Thursday detailed msaRAT, the Rust implant behind it, found on a compromised Windows machine ahead of the encryptor. The implant never opens an outbound connection of its own.
End-to-End Encryption and “Going Dark”
New paper: “ Encryption and Globalization 15 Years Later: End-to-End Encryption and the Third Round of the ‘Going Dark’ Debate “: Abstract : This Article updates and expands on 2012 research on encryption and globalization, analyzing what the authors call “Round 3” of the Going Dark Debate: the current controversies over end-to-end…
New msaRAT malware uses Chrome, Edge browsers to route C2 traffic
The Chaos ransomware gang is using a new backdoor dubbed msaRAT that hides command-and-control (C2) communication by routing it through the Chrome or Edge browsers. [...]
Ransomware Attack Puts a Chill on Japanese Frozen-Food Chain
A cyberattack on a food and logistics firm disrupts the supply of frozen food to thousands of clients, including major franchises like Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Swiss rail giant Stadler rejects $12.3M ransom demand after cyberattack
Swiss rail vehicle manufacturer Stadler Rail says the Everest ransomware gang demanded about $12.3 million after breaching a data exchange platform shared with one of its suppliers. [...]
How enterprise GenAI can amplify ransomware risk — and how to contain it
Enterprise AI can accelerate ransomware attacks when AI assistants and agents inherit excessive permissions or compromised identities. Acronis explains how identity controls, governance, and least-privilege access help reduce AI-enabled ransomware risk while supporting secure AI adoption. [...]
Ransomware Is Accelerating, but It's Not Because of AI
Researchers pointed to fragmentation of the ransomware ecosystem, the emergence of new attackers, and expansion of attacks on less defended organizations.
JadePuffer agentic attacks now target AI model data with ransomware
The JadePuffer autonomous AI agent has upgraded with custom malware called EncForge that focuses on encrypting AI assets, such as training datasets, vector databases, and model checkpoints. [...]
Details of Alan Turing’s Voice Encryption System
Really interesting piece of cryptographic history : In November 2023, a large cache of his wartime papers—nicknamed the “Bayley papers”—was auctioned in London for almost half a million U.S. dollars. The previously unknown cache contains many sheets in Turing’s own handwriting, telling of his top-secret “Delilah” engineering project…
Armenia Detains Russian Tourist on U.S. Warrant for REvil Hacker, Lawyers Say Wrong Man
Armenia has held a Russian tourist named Aleksandr Ermakov in a detention center since June 28, on a U.S. extradition request for a REvil ransomware suspect named Aleksandr Ermakov. His wife, Maria Yurova, told REN TV that border officers pulled him out of the departure hall at Yerevan's Zvartnots airport, held up a phone with a photo of him off his VKontakte page, and walked…
Coca-Cola says Fairlife ransomware attack halts US dairy production
The Coca-Cola Company disclosed today that a ransomware attack impacting its Fairlife dairy subsidiary has disrupted operations, temporarily suspending production of Fairlife products across the United States. [...]
ThreatsDay: Game Cheat Spyware, 24-Hour Ransomware, Chrome Sync Stalking + 12 More Stories
A lot of this week’s trouble starts with something that looks close enough. A familiar repo. A useful installer.
New Spirals ransomware encrypts victim network in under 24 hours
A new ransomware actor called Spirals completed a corporate intrusion, from initial access to data theft and encryption, in less than 24 hours. [...]
US charges alleged operators of Russian bulletproof hosting service
U.S. federal prosecutors have unsealed charges against three Russian nationals, accusing them of providing bulletproof hosting (BPH) services to ransomware gangs that caused over $62 million in damages to victims worldwide. [...]
US sanctions VPN, malware providers for enabling ransomware attacks
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two individuals and one entity for enabling ransomware attacks against U.S. organizations.
U.S. Sanctions First VPN Service and Malware Cryptor Seller Over Ransomware Support
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated two individuals and a VPN service provider for enabling ransomware actors' and other cybercriminals' malicious activities, including ransomware attacks against Americans. The VPN, named First VPN Service (1VPNS), has been accused of offering its tools to ransomware groups, along with its…
⚡ Weekly Recap: ShareFile Threat, Citrix Bleed 2 Ransomware, AI Coding Attacks, and More
Somewhere right now, a security tool is quietly finding bugs faster than any human can fix them. That's supposed to be the good news. The catch is that the attackers have the same tools, pointed the other way, and they don't file tickets.
Ryuk ransomware member pleads guilty in the US, faces 15 years in prison
A 34-year-old Armenian man has pleaded guilty to hacking U.S. companies and deploying the infamous Ryuk ransomware to encrypt their systems. [...]
New MODBEACON RAT Uses gRPC Streaming for Encrypted C2 Traffic
The China-linked cybercrime group known as Silver Fox has been attributed to a new Rust-based remote access trojan (RAR) called MODBEACON. Chinese cybersecurity company QiAnXin said that while the threat cluster may appear like a low-sophistication, high-activity operation that propagates malware via counterfeit installers using SEO poisoning techniques, it belies their true…
Study of 281 Free Android VPN Apps Finds Traffic Leaks, Unencrypted Data, and Tracking
Researchers ran 281 of the most popular free VPN apps on the Google Play Store through a new testing system and found that many fail at the basics people install a VPN for, i.e., keeping their traffic private and secure. The apps flagged with at least one problem have been installed more than 2.4 billion times. The problems are basic, not sophisticated.
Former ransomware negotiator gets 4 years for BlackCat attacks
A former employee of cybersecurity incident response company DigitalMint was sentenced to 70 months in prison for targeting U.S. companies in BlackCat (ALPHV) ransomware attacks. [...]
Ransomware Negotiator Gets 70 Months in Prison for Aiding BlackCat Attacks
A 41-year-old former ransomware negotiator has been sentenced to nearly six years (i.e., 70 months) in prison in the U.S. for their role in conspiring with the now-defunct BlackCat ransomware operators to extort multiple victims and working with two other cybersecurity professionals to target additional victims in 2023. In a sentencing memorandum, federal prosecutors described…
New GigaWiper Windows Backdoor Bundles Disk Wiping, Fake Ransomware, and Spyware
Microsoft has taken apart a destructive Windows backdoor it calls GigaWiper. What stands out is how it is built: not one tool but three older destructive programs bolted into one, offered as commands the operator can choose from. Each is a different way to break a machine: wipe the whole disk, overwrite the Windows drive, or run fake "ransomware" that scrambles files with a…
GodDamn Ransomware Uses PoisonX Driver to Disable Endpoint Defenses
Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new ransomware family called GodDamn that employs the PoisonX kernel driver to neutralize security software as part of its defense evasion strategy. According to a new report published by the Threat Hunter Team from Symantec, the ransomware was first publicly spotted in the wild on May 21, 2026. It's assessed to be a rebrand of the…
'GodDamn' Ransomware Uses BYOVD to Smite US Companies
Microsoft signed a malicious kernel driver, and now it's being used to kill security software in ransomware attacks.
⚡ Weekly Recap: Proxy Botnets, Browser Ransomware, AI Agent Tricks, Fake PoC Malware and More
A streaming box should not need a threat model. Neither should a username field, a demo repo, a reset flow, or a browser permission prompt. That is the irritating part this week: the risky pieces were ordinary.
JadePuffer ransomware used AI agent to automate entire attack
Researchers identified what they believe is the first documented case of a ransomware operation, JadePuffer, conducted entirely by a large language model (LLM) agent. [...]
U.S. Government Entity Paid Kairos $1 Million in Data-Theft Extortion Case
A U.S. government entity paid about $1 million to keep stolen files from being leaked, according to a new case study by Rakesh Krishnan for Ransom-ISAC, built on a leaked negotiation chat and the blockchain trail the payment left. The odd part: the group that took the money calls itself Kairos, but it may not be a ransomware gang at all.
New Avalon Malware Framework Packs CrownX Ransomware Capabilities
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a previously undocumented modular malware framework codenamed Avalon that's distributed by means of a multi-stage phishing chain capable of bypassing traditional security controls. Avalon combines credential collection, lateral movement, remote access, recovery disruption, and ransomware execution, bringing together diverse functions…
Ransomware Thugs Masquerade as Interpol to Entice Small Biz
The ransomware campaign relies on basic social engineering and stretches across multiple regions, including the US, Europe, Middle East, and elsewhere.
ThreatsDay: AI Compute Hijacking, Apple Email Flaw, BlueHammer Ransomware + 14 Stories
This week’s security news is mostly about weak spots. Browsers, bots, sandboxes, AI systems, and email flows all show the same problem in different ways. Everything looks normal until someone tests a small gap and finds a way through.
FortiBleed Credential Theft Linked to INC and Lynx Ransomware Operations
The recently discovered financially-motivated FortiBleed campaign has been attributed to INC and Lynx ransomware operations, indicating that the verified, stolen credentials were intended for follow-on intrusions. "An operator tied to FortiBleed's infrastructure was found actively working negotiation panels for both groups, tying mass FortiGate credential theft directly to…
FortiBleed credential-theft campaign linked to Lynx ransomware
The massive FortiBleed credential theft campaign has been linked to the INC and Lynx ransomware operations, suggesting the stolen Fortinet credentials were intended to fuel future network intrusions. [...]
AI-Generated Browser Ransomware Abuses Chromium API on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android
Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malware artifact generated using DeepSeek that constructed a novel attack path combining "unrealistic browser-malware concepts with a real browser capability" to turn it into a working ransomware technique that runs entirely inside the browser on both Windows and Android devices. "This is the first documented case where a frontier…
Microsoft Accelerates Post-Quantum Cryptography Shift to 2029
Microsoft on Tuesday said it's accelerating its quantum safe security roadmap, stating technology advances in quantum computing are making it essential to replace existing encryption standards sooner than previously expected. "Advances in quantum research and development have shifted the risk horizon," Mark Russinovich, chief technology officer of Microsoft Azure, said. "We…
Blackfield ransomware asks Nidec Corporation for $2 million ransom
The Blackfield ransomware gang is asking for a $2 million ransom from Nidec Corporation, a large Japanese manufacturer of electronic components for automotive and computing applications. [...]
Why Post-Quantum Cryptography Starts With Credentials
Today’s encrypted data, such as credentials, may no longer remain confidential in the future because the public-key cryptography protecting it will soon be broken by quantum computers. Although no machine today can break elliptic curve cryptography or RSA, quantum hardware is advancing rapidly and will inevitably change how organizations protect their data. Ciphertext and…
Third-Party Breaches Teach Education Sector a Costly Lesson in Vendor Risk
Rising threats from third-party actors are forcing institutions to play defense to protect student data from ransomware and other attacks.
Europe Evolves Into Ransomware's Favorite Region
After a global lull, ransomware gangs are setting sights on a rich new arena: attacking EU organizations and their suppliers.
Malicious Edge extension abuses Native Messaging as bridge to malware
A malicious Microsoft Edge extension dubbed 'Edgecution' has been used in a ransomware attack to escape the browser sandbox and deploy a Python-based backdoor. [...]
Amadey, StealC malware operations disrupted in Operation Endgame action
Microsoft, Europol, and international partners have disrupted infrastructure used by the Amadey and StealC malware operations as part of Operation Endgame, which targets cybercriminal services and ransomware gangs. [...]
Stealthy Mistic backdoor linked to ransomware access broker KongTuke
A new backdoor dubbed Mistic has been observed in financially motivated attacks targeting organizations in the insurance, education, IT, and professional services sectors. [...]
⚡ Weekly Recap: Browser Bugs, EDR Killers, TV Botnet, OpenBSD Flaw, Android Trojan, and More
It’s Monday again. This week’s threat list looks painfully familiar: abused integrations, fake tools, poisoned websites, ransomware crews trying to shut down security tools, and mobile malware asking for way too much control. The annoying part is how little of this feels new.
INTERPOL Warns Phishing, Ransomware, and AI Scams Are Rising Across Asia-Pacific
A new report from INTERPOL has revealed a "dramatic increase" in cybercrime in Asia and the South Pacific, fueled by rapid digitalization, internet penetration, new technologies, organized criminal networks, and a disparity in cybersecurity maturity. According to INTERPOL's 2025/2026 Asia and South Pacific Cyberthreat Assessment Report, phishing has emerged as the most…
New Prinz Eugen ransomware prioritizes recent files for encryption
A new ransomware operation named 'Prinz Eugen' prioritizes recently modified files for encryption and leaves no ransom note on the system. [...]
The Gentlemen RaaS Uses GentleKiller EDR Framework Targeting 400 Security Processes
The Gentlemen ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation is actively developing and maintaining a suite of endpoint detection and response (EDR) killers that it hands out to affiliates for impairing system defenses before deploying the encryptor. This mature portfolio of EDR-terminating tools is centered around a framework that's known as GentleKiller. "They also incorporate…
Gentlemen ransomware uses multiple EDR killers to disable defenses
The Gentlemen ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) is actively developing and maintaining a suite of endpoint detection and response (EDR) killers to help affiliates evade detection in attacks. [...]
INC Ransomware Emerges as Major RaaS Threat in 2026 with 830+ Victims Since 2023
Cybersecurity researchers have charted the evolution of INC from an nascent ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation to one of the most prolific cybercrime groups in 2026, claiming no less than 830 victims since August 2023. "The disruption of LockBit and the shutdown of BlackCat created opportunities for INC to expand as affiliates migrated to alternative ransomware…
INC Ransomware Thrives by Mastering the Basics
And one of those basics is focusing on sectors where a ransomware disruption creates immediate pressure to pay up, like with healthcare.
'Lorem Ipsum' Malware Pivots to ClickFix Delivery
New analysis shows the campaign, which uses compromised WordPress sites, may be linked to the ransomware and data extortion group Vice Society.
Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Mills of Australia’s Second-Largest Sugar Producer
Mackay Sugar was targeted in a cyberattack carried out by a threat group known as The Gentlemen. The post Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Mills of Australia’s Second-Largest Sugar Producer appeared first on SecurityWeek .
Ukrainian national pleads guilty to role in Conti ransomware operation
A Ukrainian national extradited from Ireland to the United States last year has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges tied to the Conti ransomware operation. [...]
Over 73,000 French govt employees affected in Tchap messenger breach
The French government revealed that a recent breach of its Tchap encrypted messaging platform affects the accounts of over 73,000 employees in the French public sector. [...]
Europol Disrupts AudiA6 Crypto Laundering Service Used by Ransomware Gangs
Authorities in Europe have disrupted AudiA6, a cryptocurrency laundering service used by ransomware gangs and cybercriminal networks. Europol, in a statement issued Thursday, said the dismantling of AudiA6 cut off a "key financial pipeline used to wash hundreds of millions in illicit profits." The service is estimated to have been used to launder more than €336 million (~$389…
GPS As a Key Distribution Platform
This is interesting: The U.S. military has likely been quietly broadcasting codes for its global encryption network using public GPS for nearly 20 years, turning each satellite into a hidden “numbers station,” according to Steven Murdoch… That means every device that uses GPS has been receiving hidden government information for years, and nobody outside the…
French govt messaging service breached in account hijacking attack
DINUM, the digital affairs directorate of the French government, warned that hackers used a hijacked user account to breach Tchap, the French government's encrypted messaging platform. [...]
Silent Ransom Group Uses DNS Fast Flux in Attacks
Focusing on hacking law firms in the US, the ransomware group relies on fast flux to hide its C&C infrastructure. The post Silent Ransom Group Uses DNS Fast Flux in Attacks appeared first on SecurityWeek .
U.S. sanctions Nobitex crypto exchange used by Iranian ransomware actors
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, for facilitating payments related to terrorist activities. [...]
The Intersection of Encryption and AI
As part of their 20th Anniversary celebration, Dark Reading asked five cybersecurity industry leaders who wrote blogs or columns for them over the years to select their favorite piece and share their reflections on the topic today. This is my section. Renowned technologist and author Bruce Schneier contributed a column on June 20, 2010, warning about cryptography’s…
Miasma Supply Chain Attack Compromises Red Hat npm Packages with Credential-Stealing Worm
A new Mini Shai-Hulud supply chain attack campaign, codenamed Miasma, has compromised @redhat-cloud-services packages to steal credentials and secrets from developer machines and deliver a self-propagating worm. "This is effectively a Mini Shai-Hulud campaign: it uses the same core tactics of install-time execution, credential harvesting, CI/CD targeting, encrypted…
Ransomware Actors Show Up In Person to Steal Law Firm Data
The FBI warned that the extortion gang Silent Ransom Group is targeting law firms and social-engineering its way into servers and databases.