Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Weak passwords can lead to ransomware attacks because they can be easily compromised through password-cracking techniques, allowing cybercriminals to gain access to an organization’s network where they can then inject ransomware. Often, when people think of the causes of ransomware infections, their first thought is it was caused by a phishing email.

Over the last two years, CrowdStrike Services has run several incident response (IR) engagements — in both pre- and post-ransomware situations — in which different ALPHA SPIDER affiliates demonstrated novel offensive techniques coupled with more commonly observed techniques. The events described in this blog have been attributed to ALPHA SPIDER affiliates by CrowdStrike Counter Adversary Operations.

Sugarlocker Summary On February 23, 2022, the operator linked to the SugarLocker ransomware, utilizing the pseudonym "gustavedore," was conspicuously seeking new partnerships on the Dark Web. SugarLocker operates through a highly flexible Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) framework, facilitating extensive customization for its users in the clandestine corners of the Dark Web.

I have been working in cybersecurity for a long time, since 1987, over 35 years. And, surprisingly to many readers/observers, I often say I have not seen anything new in the hacker/malware space since I began. The same threats that were a problem then are the same problems now. Social engineering and unpatched software (and firmware) have long been the two biggest initial root causes for hacking…for decades.

Some of the most common ways ransomware is delivered are through phishing emails, drive-by downloads, exploit kits and RDP exploits. According to Malwarebytes’ 2024 State of Malware report, in 2023 the number of known ransomware attacks increased by 68% from the previous year. The report also found that the largest ransom demanded in 2023 was $80 million.

February 28, 2024 | By Sagi Brody As the Chief Technology Officer at Opti9, I’ve spent over two decades navigating the ever-evolving landscape of digital infrastructure. According to the Ransomware Trends Report 2023, at least 93% of cyberattacks targeted backup infrastructure. Clearly, cyber criminals are becoming more proficient in the ability to take your data for ransom.

Emails are still the most common delivery method for malicious files, according to Check Point’s Cyber Security Report for 2024. “Email-based attacks continue to be the dominant initial infection vector,” the report says.

The recent LockBit group take down has shown the world at large the cost of cybercrime. Initially it was reported that just over $100 million had been gathered through the nefarious acts of this particular group but, as I suspected, that initial figure was just a drop in the ocean. It turns out that the real figure was in excess of $1 billion dollars over the last four years, and I still suspect this may be more.

Recently, the cybersecurity world has been abuzz with discussions about Phemedrone, a newly emerged stealer exploiting the CVE-2023-36025 vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Defender SmartScreen. The project was most recently available on GitHub; however, the project was taken down, and the associated account was removed. Active development still occurs via Telegram.