BEST OF THE WEB

Four most dangerous and destructive ransomware groups of 2022

With ransomware attacks becoming one of the most dangerous cyber threats in the world, Tech Republic has identified four of the most dangerous and destructive ransomware groups of 2022.

ALPHV, also known as BlackCat, is at the top of the list. It specializes in ransomware-as-a-service, where it delivers the malware and infrastructure to partners who then carry out the actual attacks. ALPHV is allegedly associated with the BlackMatter/DarkSide group, which was responsible for the infamous ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline in 2021.

The second, Black Basta, is a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group consisting of former Conti and REvil ransomware gang members with whom it shares tactics, techniques and procedures. It increasingly infiltrates organizations by exploiting unpatched security flaws and publicly available source code. It also frequently employs double extortion tactics and threatens to disclose the stolen data publicly if the ransom is not paid. DDoS attacks are also used by the group to induce their victims to pay the ransom.

Hive, the third focuses on the industrial sector, academic and educational services, science and healthcare companies, as well as energy, resource, and agriculture companies. It reportedly hires penetration testers, access brokers, and threat actors to encrypt hundreds of megabytes to more than four gigabytes of data per minute.

The fourth is the LockBit 3.0 ransomware. Allegedly, it contained an updated data leak blog, a bug bounty program and new ransomware features. It prefers low-profile attacks and tries to avoid making headlines. The TTPs and software of the gang are constantly evolving and adapting. LockBit also employs a proprietary information stealer known as StealBit, a file grabber, which clones files from the network of the victim quickly into a LockBit-controlled infrastructure.

The sources for this piece include an article in TechRepublic.

IT World Canada Staff
IT World Canada Staffhttp://www.itworldcanada.com/
The online resource for Canadian Information Technology professionals.

Would you recommend this article?

Share

Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you think of this article!
We'd love to hear your opinion about this or any other story you read in our publication.


Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

Featured Download

ITW in your inbox

Our experienced team of journalists and bloggers bring you engaging in-depth interviews, videos and content targeted to IT professionals and line-of-business executives.

More Best of The Web