Threat Assessment: Ignoble Scorpius, Distributors of BlackSuit Ransomware


Unit 42 researchers have observed an increase in BlackSuit ransomware activity beginning in March 2024 that suggests a ramp up of operations. This threat emerged as a rebrand of Royal ransomware, which occurred in May 2023. Unit 42 tracks the group behind this threat as Ignoble Scorpius.

Since the rebrand, Unit 42 has observed at least 93 victims globally, a quarter of which were in the construction and manufacturing industries. The group describes themselves as an “extortioner named BlackSuit” and claims to reverse file encryption for “quite a small compensation essentially.” Although the group states the compensation is small, Unit 42 has observed that, on average, the initial ransom demand is about equal to 1.6% of the victim organization’s annual revenue.

Read more…
Source: Trend Micro


Sign up for our Newsletter


Related:

  • Coruna: the framework used in Operation Triangulation

    March 26, 2026

    On March 4, 2026, Google and iVerify published reports about a highly sophisticated exploit kit targeting Apple iPhone devices. According to Google, the exploit kit was first discovered in targeted attacks conducted by a customer of an unnamed surveillance vendor. It was later used by other attackers in watering-hole attacks in Ukraine and in financially motivated ...

  • Infiniti Stealer: A new macOS infostealer using ClickFix and Python/Nuitka

    March 26, 2026

    A previously undocumented macOS infostealer has surfaced during our routine threat hunting. Malwarebytes Labs researchers initially tracked it as NukeChain, but shortly before publication, the malware’s operator panel became publicly visible, revealing its real name: Infiniti Stealer. This malware is designed to steal sensitive data from Macs. It spreads through a fake CAPTCHA page that tricks ...

  • Cloud Phones: The Invisible Threat

    March 25, 2026

    What began as a simple scheme to inflate social media metrics has evolved into a sophisticated threat that is quietly reshaping the economics of digital fraud. Over the past decade, fraud prevention teams have invested heavily in device fingerprinting and emulator detection and that investment paid off; classic emulators and bot activities became predictable, easy ...

  • Millions possibly affected by data breach at dermatology giant QualDerm

    March 25, 2026

    Dermatology management services giant QualDerm suffered a cyberattack in late 2025 which saw it lose sensitive personal and healthcare data on more than three million people. The company is now notifying affected individuals by mail, noting in a breach notification letter that between December 23 and 24, 2025, a threat actor managed to access “a limited ...

  • AI Drives Cyber Attacks That Unfold in Minutes

    March 24, 2026

    Artificial intelligence is speeding up timelines for cyber attacks, a new report has found, creating what the authors call a widening “cybersecurity speed gap” between bad actors and defense efforts. The report from Booz Allen Hamilton, published this month, shows that cyber criminals are now moving from initial access to broader system compromise in less than ...

  • Russian initial access broker who fed ransomware crews gets 81 months in US prison

    March 24, 2026

    A Russian national who sold the keys to corporate networks faces nearly seven years in a US prison after prosecutors tied his handiwork to a string of ransomware attacks costing victims millions of dollars. Aleksei Volkov, 26, was sentenced to 81 months behind bars for his role as an initial access broker, a behind-the-scenes operator who ...