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Storm-1175 Replaces Medusa With New StormEncryptor Ransomware
Microsoft reports China-linked ransomware group Storm-1175 switched from Medusa to a new C++ strain, StormEncryptor, likely exploiting N-able flaw CVE-2026-18577.
Microsoft Threat Intelligence reports that the financially motivated, China-linked group Storm-1175 began deploying a new ransomware strain called StormEncryptor on August 2, 2026, replacing its previous Medusa ransomware. StormEncryptor is written in C++, appends the .encrypted extension to files, and drops a !!!README_FIRST!!!.txt ransom note in each scanned directory. Microsoft assesses the group is likely exploiting CVE-2026-18577, an authentication bypass in N-able disclosed on August 2, 2026 and added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog the next day. Since 2023, Storm-1175 has exploited more than 16 vulnerabilities in products including Microsoft Exchange, Ivanti, ConnectWise ScreenConnect, JetBrains TeamCity, SimpleHelp, CrushFTP, and GoAnywhere MFT, often moving from initial access to data theft and ransomware deployment within days.
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New Android Ransomware Records Screens, Steals OTPs and Secretly Takes Photos of Victims
Zimperium uncovered Mantax Otax, an Android ransomware that encrypts files, records screens, steals OTPs, and secretly photographs victims.
Zimperium reported a new Android threat, Mantax Otax, that combines ransomware with surveillance: it encrypts files with AES and adds a .enc extension on Android 9 and older, while abusing MediaProjection for screenshots and MP4 screen recording and using hidden camera previews to photograph victims. The malware intercepts SMS one-time passwords, WhatsApp and Telegram data, and lock-screen PINs through Accessibility abuse and a fake system-lock overlay, and can negotiate ransoms via an on-screen chat. Malicious APKs are hosted on third-party file-sharing services, and researchers linked the activity to Indonesian threat actors, with C2 dynamically retrieved from a GitHub repository (apimantax[.]otax[.]fun). A second variant adds WebSocket communications, app blocking, full-screen overlays, and remote text-to-speech messages.
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Panzer Ransomware Targets Italian Manufacturers and Telecom Firms With ESXi-Ready RaaS
New Panzer ransomware-as-a-service operation lists Italian firms Doimo Cucine and NTE Italia as victims, offering encryptors for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and ESXi.
Panzer, a ransomware-as-a-service operation that surfaced August 5, listed a kitchen manufacturer in Treviso (Doimo Cucine) and a telecommunications engineering firm in Catanzaro (NTE Italia) among alleged victims, claiming 30 GB and 16 GB of stolen data respectively. The group advertises encryptors for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and VMware ESXi, a Tox-based affiliate recruitment process with screening, an affiliate dashboard, and an 80/20 revenue split. Neither victim had publicly confirmed the incidents when researcher Andrea Fortuna's report was published, and the group's first access method and payload have not been independently analyzed. Panzer posted victims across 11 countries as claimed Italian ransomware incidents reached 212 by September 6, already above 2025's full-year total of 169.
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Researchers Confirm ExfilSquad’s Access to Sensitive Data Across 13 Organizations
Researchers confirmed extortion group ExfilSquad holds stolen sensitive data from at least 13 organizations, publishing leaked datasets via torrents.
Security researchers verified that the extortion group ExfilSquad possesses sensitive data stolen from at least 13 victim organizations. The group distributed the leaked datasets publicly through torrents rather than a traditional leak site. Independent verification of the stolen data lends credibility to the group's extortion claims against its victims.
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