Since March 2023, Akira ransomware has impacted a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure entities in North America, Europe, and Australia. In April 2023, following an initial focus on Windows systems, Akira threat actors deployed a Linux variant targeting VMware ESXi virtual machines.
As of January 1, 2024, the ransomware group has impacted over 250 organizations and claimed approximately $42 million USD in ransomware proceeds. Early versions of the Akira ransomware variant were written in C++ and encrypted files with a .akira extension; however, beginning in August 2023, some Akira attacks began deploying Megazord, using Rust-based code which encrypts files with a .powerranges extension.
Read more…
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Cyber Division
Related:
- FBI Claws Back Millions of DarkSide’s Ransom Profits
June 7, 2021
United States law enforcement has clawed back approximately $2.3 million of the ransom allegedly paid to DarkSide by Colonial Pipeline last month, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI announced in a joint press conference on Monday. “Today we turned the tables on DarkSide,” FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said in live-streamed remarks. They seized the money ...
- UF Health Florida hospitals back to pen and paper after cyberattack
June 3, 2021
UF Health Central Florida has suffered a reported ransomware attack that forced two hospitals to shut down portions of their IT network. The University of Florida Health, also known as UF Health, is a healthcare network of hospitals and physician practices that provide care to countries throughout Florida. Read more… Source: Bleeping Computer
- FBI attributes JBS ransomware attack to REvil
June 3, 2021
The United States FBI issued a short statement on Wednesday pinning the recent JBS ransomware incident on REvil. “As the lead federal investigative agency fighting cyber threats, combating cybercrime is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. We have attributed the JBS attack to REvil and Sodinokibi and are working diligently to bring the threat actors to ...
- New Epsilon Red ransomware hunts unpatched Microsoft Exchange servers
May 29, 2021
A new ransomware threat calling itself Red Epsilon has been seen leveraging Microsoft Exchange server vulnerabilities to encrypt machines across the network. Epsilon Red ransomware attacks rely on more than a dozen scripts before reaching the encryption stage and also use a commercial remote desktop utility. Read more… Source: Bleeping Computer
- Evolution of JSWorm ransomware
May 25, 2021
Over the past few years, the ransomware threat landscape has been gradually changing. We have been witness to a paradigm shift. From the massive outbreaks of 2017, such as WannaCry, NotPetya, and Bad Rabbit, a lot of ransomware actors have moved to the covert but highly profitable tactic of “big-game hunting”. News of ransomware causing ...
- Iranian hacking group targets Israel with wiper disguised as ransomware
May 25, 2021
An Iranian hacking group has been observed camouflaging destructive attacks against Israeli targets as ransomware attacks while maintaining access to victims’ networks for months in what looks like an extensive espionage campaign. The threat actor, tracked as Agrius by SentinelLabs researchers, has targeted Israel starting with December 2020. “Initially engaged in espionage activity, Agrius deployed a set ...