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:
- The nasty future of ransomware: Four ways the nightmare is about to get even worse
October 31, 2017
2017 has been the year of ransomware. While the file-encrypting malware has existed in one form or another for almost three decades, over the last few months it’s developed from a cybersecurity concern to a public menace. The term even made it into the dictionary in September. In particular, 2017 had its own summer of ransomware: while incidents ...
- ‘Basic IT security’ could have prevented UK NHS WannaCry attack
October 27, 2017
England’s National Health Service (NHS) could have avoided the ransomware hack that crippled its systems in May, according to a government report. “Basic IT security” was all that was required to prevent the “unsophisticated” WannaCry attack, which affected more than a third of NHS organizations, said the National Audit Office (NAO). The full scale of the incident saw over 19,000 ...
- Bad Rabbit: New Ransomware Attack Rapidly Spreading Across Europe
October 24, 2017
A new widespread ransomware attack is spreading like wildfire around Europe and has already affected over 200 major organisations, primarily in Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Germany, in the past few hours. Dubbed “Bad Rabbit,” is reportedly a new Petya-like targeted ransomware attack against corporate networks, demanding 0.05 bitcoin (~ $285) as ransom from victims to unlock ...
- Global ransomware attacks on the rise: Europol
July 25, 2017
Global ransomware attacks soared by over 11 percent in the 12 months to March, Europol reported Tuesday, but specialist tools developed with its partners had helped unlock some 28,000 encrypted devices. “Ransomware has soared since 2012, with criminals lured by the promise of profit and ease of implementation,” the European police agency said in a statement. According ...
- Industrial control security practitioners ‘working blind’ to protect their network
July 14, 2017
Four out of 10 industrial control security practitioners don’t have proper visibility into their ICS networks. This is according to a new study by the SANS Institute. Based on a poll of ICS practitioners and cybersecurity stakeholders across various verticals, including energy, manufacturing, oil and gas, the report says that 40 percent of defenders are actually ...
- Private Decryption Key For Original Petya Ransomware Released
July 7, 2017
Rejoice Petya-infected victims! The master key for the original version of the Petya ransomware has been released by its creator, allowing Petya-infected victims to recover their encrypted files without paying any ransom money. But wait, Petya is not NotPetya. Do not confuse Petya ransomware with the latest destructive NotPetya ransomware (also known as ExPetr and Eternal Petya) attacks ...