Selling Ransomware Breaches: 4 Trends Spotted on the RAMP Forum


The sale and purchase of unauthorized access to compromised enterprise networks has become a linchpin for cybercriminal operations, particularly in facilitating ransomware attacks.

Underground forums are sharing guidelines on breaching networks and selling the access they obtain, leaving the exploitation to other malicious actors. On underground criminal forums, these transactions allow actors with complementary skills to collaborate, amplifying the impact and reach of cyberattacks. The market for such access has grown notably, especially as ransomware operators increasingly employ double-extortion tactics.

Read more…
Source: Rapid7


Sign up for our Newsletter


Related:

  • A sign of ransomware growth: Gangs now arbitrate disputes

    February 9, 2022

    Cyber criminal gangs are getting increasingly adept at hacking and becoming more professional, even setting up an arbitration system to resolve payment disputes among themselves, according to a new report by the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom that paints a bleak picture of ransomware trends. Ransomware gangs, which hack targets and hold their data ...

  • Decryptor released for Maze, Egregor, and Sekhmet ransomware strains

    February 9, 2022

    A decryptor has been released for the Maze, Sekhmet, and Egregor ransomware after someone published the master decryption keys in a BleepingComputer forum post. Around 6:30 yesterday evening, someone identifying themselves as “Topleak” said, “It was decided to release keys to the public for Egregor, Maze, Sekhmet ransomware families.” “Each archive with keys have corresponding keys inside ...

  • FBI: Criminals Increasing SIM Swap Schemes to Steal Millions of Dollars from US Public

    February 8, 2022

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation is issuing this announcement to inform mobile carriers and the public of the increasing use of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swapping by criminals to steal money from fiat and virtual currency accounts. From January 2018 to December 2020, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 320 complaints related to ...

  • Russia arrests third hacking group, reportedly seizes carding forums

    February 7, 2022

    Russia arrested six people today, allegedly part of a hacking group involved in the theft and selling of stolen credit cards. Russian media reports that the arrests come at the request of investigators from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. “The Tverskoy Court of Moscow received petitions from the investigation to select a measure ...

  • Ransomware groups are shifting towards smaller targets, but ones where they can still guarantee a significant payday

    February 7, 2022

    The cost and risk of executing ransomware attacks is going up, making it harder for cyber criminals to carry them out, which could lead to a decline in the number of overall ransomware attacks. But that could mean some ransomware victims end up paying a heavier price. Ransomware is still running rampant, with several major incidents ...

  • North Korea grows nuclear, missiles programs, profits from cyberattacks -U.N. report

    February 5, 2022

    North Korea continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs during the past year and cyberattacks on cryptocurrency exchanges were an important revenue source for Pyongyang, according to an excerpt of a confidential United Nations report seen on Saturday by Reuters. The annual report by independent sanctions monitors was submitted on Friday evening to the ...