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:
- IIoT chip maker Advantech hit by ransomware, $12.5 million ransom
November 28, 2020
The Conti ransomware gang hit the systems of industrial automation and Industrial IoT (IIoT) chip maker Advantech and is now demanding a $14 million ransom to decrypt affected systems and to stop leaking stolen company data. Advantech is a global leading manufacturer of IT products and solutions, including embedded PCs, network devices, IoT, servers, and healthcare ...
- Ransomware hits largest US fertility network, patient data stolen
November 26, 2020
US Fertility, the largest network of fertility centers in the U.S., says that some of its systems were encrypted in a ransomware attack that affected the company two months ago, in September 2020. The US Fertility (USF) network is comprised of 55 locations across 10 states that completed almost 25,000 IVF cycles in 2018 through its ...
- Baltimore County Public Schools hit by ransomware attack
November 25, 2020
Baltimore County Public Schools has been hit today by a ransomware attack that led to a systemic shutdown of its network due to the number of systems impacted in the attack. The Baltimore County school district manages all public schools in Baltimore County, Maryland, and is the 25th largest U.S. school system. Read more… Source: Bleeping Computer
- New Mount Locker Ransomware Version Targeting TurboTax Files
November 20, 2020
A new version of the Mount Locker crypto-ransomware strain is specifically targeting victims’ TurboTax files. As reported by Bleeping Computer, Advanced Intel’s Vitali Kremez came across a new Mount Locker sample that specifically sought out files used by the TurboTax tax preparation software. In particular, Kremez observed the sample going after files bearing the “.tax,” “.tax2009,” “.tax2013” ...
- Egregor Ransomware Attack Hijacks Printers to Spit Out Ransom Notes
November 19, 2020
So, you’re a ransomware gang and you want to ensure that you have caught the attention of your latest corporate victim. You could simply drop your ransom note onto the desktop of infected computers, informing the firm that their files have been encrypted. Too dull? You could lock infected PCs and display a ghoulish skull on a bright ...
- Advanced Threat predictions for 2021
November 19, 2020
Trying to make predictions about the future is a tricky business. However, while we don’t have a crystal ball that can reveal the future, we can try to make educated guesses using the trends that we have observed over the last 12 months to identify areas that attackers are likely to seek to exploit in ...