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:
- Ransomware Actor Abuses Genshin Impact Anti-Cheat Driver to Kill Antivirus
August 24, 2022
There have already been reports on code-signed rootkits like Netfilter, FiveSys, and Fire Chili. These rootkits are usually signed with stolen certificates or are falsely validated. However, when a legitimate driver is used as a rootkit, that’s a different story. Such is the case of mhyprot2.sys, a vulnerable anti-cheat driver for the popular role-playing game ...
- New ‘Donut Leaks’ extortion gang linked to recent ransomware attacks
August 23, 2022
A new data extortion group named ‘Donut Leaks’ is linked to recent cyberattacks, including those on Greek natural gas company DESFA, UK architectural firm Sheppard Robson, and multinational construction company Sando. Two victims disclosed these attacks without much information regarding who was involved. Over the weekend, DESFA confirmed they suffered a cyberattack after Ragnar Locker leaked screenshots ...
- French hospital hit by $10M ransomware attack, sends patients elsewhere
August 23, 2022
The Center Hospitalier Sud Francilien (CHSF), a 1000-bed hospital located 28km from the center of Paris, suffered a cyberattack on Sunday, which has resulted in the medical center referring patients to other establishments and postponing appointments for surgeries. CHSF serves an area of 600,000 inhabitants, so any disruption in its operations can endanger the health, and ...
- Hackers attack UK water supplier but extort wrong company
August 16, 2022
South Staffordshire Water, a company supplying 330 million liters of drinking water to 1.6 consumers daily, has issued a statement confirming IT disruption from a cyberattack. As the announcement explains, the safety and water distribution systems are still operational, so the disruption of the IT systems doesn’t impact the supply of safe water to its customers ...
- UK: Ransomware attack on NHS systems could take weeks to fix, major IT provider warns
August 11, 2022
A cyberattack that hit a major IT provider for the NHS and severely affected the 111 service involved ransomware and could take up to four weeks to fix, it has emerged. Advanced, which supplies vital systems for the NHS, said it suffered a cyber breach around 7am on 4 August which has now been contained. The attack ...
- #StopRansomware: Zeppelin Ransomware
August 11, 2022
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are releasing this joint CSA to disseminate known Zeppelin ransomware IOCs and TTPs associated with ransomware variants identified through FBI investigations as recently as 21 June 2022. The FBI and CISA encourage organizations to implement the recommendations in the Mitigations section ...