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CategoryAllRansomware 13405Malware 1213Vulnerability 767Policy & legal 493Data breach 479Phishing & fraud 335Threat actor 315Exploit / PoC 258Industry 71Advisory 53Research 27AI safety & security 22Tools 9AI tools & infra 2
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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.

Security Affairs · Aug 13, 2026Ransomware in the wildCVE-2026-18577CVE-2026-1731CVE-2023-21529+15 CVEs1

New pro-Ukraine hacker group targets Russian companies with custom ransomware

F6 links new pro-Ukraine ransomware group VantaCore, likely a Thor rebrand, to seven attacks on Russian firms using custom tooling and multimillion-dollar demands.

Russian cybersecurity firm F6 reports that VantaCore, a ransomware group believed to be a rebrand of pro-Ukrainian group Thor, has targeted at least seven Russian organizations with ransom demands reaching millions of dollars, operating as a ransomware-as-a-service operation with a Tor-based victim chat and a leak site. The group uses custom-built tooling including the VantaCore ransomware that encrypts servers and workstations, VantaCoreLoader for distribution, the VantaCoreRAT backdoor, and SnowKiller, which disables antivirus and security software. Initial access relies on poorly secured VPNs and remote-access tools, flaws in internet-facing applications, and credentials stolen from business partners. F6 notes pro-Ukrainian groups increasingly abandoned stock ransomware like LockBit 3 Black and Babuk in 2025-2026 in favor of custom malware.

The Record · 14d agoRansomware

Harley-Davidson Alleged Breach – CL0P Ransomware Adds Motorcycle Maker to the List

CL0P ransomware group listed Harley-Davidson on its extortion leak site, claiming a compromise; the motorcycle maker has not confirmed any breach.

The CL0P ransomware operation added Harley-Davidson to its public extortion portal, a listing highlighted by the ransomNews monitoring account on September 10, 2026. Harley-Davidson has not confirmed any compromise, and the initial access method, affected business unit, timing, and volume of stolen data remain unknown, with no sample files or technical indicators published. The article stresses that leak-site listings alone do not confirm a breach and can serve as negotiation pressure in double-extortion schemes. If verified, stolen data could fuel downstream phishing, BEC, credential-stuffing, and invoice fraud targeting dealers, suppliers, and customers.

Cyber Security News · 6d agoRansomware

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.

Cyber Security News · 8d agoRansomware in the wild

DeadLock Ransomware Uses Polygon Smart Contracts to Make Extortion Infra Harder to Disrupt

Microsoft reports DeadLock ransomware using Polygon smart contracts and Session messaging for extortion infrastructure, claiming 96 victims across Europe and the U.S.

Microsoft Threat Intelligence reports the DeadLock ransomware operation uses the Session messaging network and Polygon blockchain smart contracts to host victim chat, proxy server addresses, and its data leak blog, making takedowns harder. First detected in July 2025, the group has claimed 96 victims, mostly in Italy, Spain, Poland, Türkiye, and the U.S., with deployments by affiliates of Lynx and INC ransomware. The encryptor uses Curve25519 with XChaCha20, drops an interactive HTML recovery chat application, geofences CIS-linked countries, and clears logs and shadow copies to evade forensics.

The Hacker News · Aug 11, 2026Ransomware in the wild

Ransomware Now Shows Up in Nearly Half of All Breaches: A Survival Playbook for Lean Security Teams

Cyble reports 5,967 ransomware attacks in 2025, up 50%, accounting for nearly half of all tracked breaches.

Cyble's Global Cybersecurity Report 2025 documented 5,967 ransomware attacks, a 50% year-over-year jump. Against 6,046 data breaches and leaks recorded in the same period, ransomware accounted for 49.7% of the combined total. The blog lays out an incident response playbook for lean security teams facing this dominant threat.

Cyble · Aug 10, 2026Ransomware

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.

Cyber Security News · 5d agoRansomware 6 sources

Akira Hits Safe Mode: Ransomware Rebooting Around EDR

Huntress documents an Akira ransomware affiliate rebooting endpoints into Windows Safe Mode to evade EDR and Defender, though Safe Mode broke the ransomware.

Huntress observed an Akira ransomware affiliate rebooting victim machines into Windows Safe Mode to disable EDR and Microsoft Defender before deploying ransomware. In an ironic twist, Safe Mode also prevented the ransomware from executing properly. The post walks through the full attack chain and the defensive lessons.

Huntress · Aug 12, 2026Ransomware in the wild

Canada: Nipigon hospital hit by ransomware attack

Nipigon District Memorial Hospital in Ontario, Canada confirmed a ransomware attack disrupted its IT systems, possibly affecting some patient services.

Nipigon District Memorial Hospital in Nipigon, Ontario announced that a ransomware attack affected its information technology systems. The hospital described the event as a 'cyber security incident' and warned that some patient services may be impacted while it responds. Nipigon Mayor Suzanne Kukko commented on the incident to local media. No threat actor was named and no data exposure or leak was confirmed at the time of disclosure.

DataBreaches.net · 9h agoRansomware in the wild

Stronger Security Drives Ransomware Groups to Recruit From Within

Researchers report ransomware groups increasingly recruiting insiders at target companies to bypass stronger security, with insider-assisted attacks costing victims millions.

Security researchers have observed an uptick in insider-assisted ransomware attacks as organizations strengthen their defenses. Ransomware groups are reportedly recruiting from within target companies, and malicious insiders also enable other costly threats. No specific victims or campaigns are named in the report.

Dark Reading · 15d agoRansomware

Threat Actors Abuse Cursor Agent AI to Assist Ransomware Operations

Aurora ransomware operators are using SpaceX-owned Cursor's AI agent to perform reconnaissance and exploitation tasks during intrusions.

The Aurora ransomware group is abusing the Cursor Agent AI coding tool to automate reconnaissance and exploitation activities during its operations. This marks a notable case of criminals weaponizing an AI coding agent inside their attack workflow. Cursor was recently acquired by SpaceX, drawing extra attention to the tool's abuse.

Infosecurity Magazine · 20d agoRansomware in the wild

Akira Affiliate Crashes Ransomware After Attempting EDR Evasion

Huntress documented an Akira ransomware affiliate attack that failed after its anti-EDR tool crashed legitimate software and stopped encryption before completion.

Infosecurity Magazine reports on Huntress research into a failed Akira ransomware affiliate attack. The affiliate attempted EDR evasion using an anti-EDR tool, but the tool interfered with legitimate software on the client's system. The interference crashed the ransomware before encryption completed, sabotaging the attack; no completed encryption was reported.

Infosecurity Magazine · Aug 13, 2026Ransomware

Payroll system of mosques, madrasahs hit by ransomware; staff details potentially compromised

Ransomware hit Avelogic's SmartHRMS payroll system serving Singapore mosques and madrasahs under MUIS, potentially exposing staff details.

The SmartHRMS human resources and payroll system used by mosques and madrasahs overseen by Singapore's Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) was hacked and held for ransom. The system is supplied by Singapore-based software vendor Avelogic, which posted a cybersecurity incident notice on its website. Staff details are potentially compromised, according to The Straits Times.

DataBreaches.net · 1d agoRansomware in the wild

“Network outage” disrupts Westfield Public Schools in New Jersey as ransomware group posts samples

A ransomware group posted stolen data samples after a districtwide network outage disrupted Westfield Public Schools in New Jersey.

Westfield Public Schools in New Jersey experienced a districtwide network outage during the first week of school, disrupting communications and digital instruction while classrooms stayed open. The district initially attributed the disruption to networking hardware failure across all schools and offices. A ransomware group has since posted data samples, indicating extortion activity tied to the incident.

DataBreaches.net · 7d agoRansomware

Record Number Ransomware Victims

A record number of ransomware victims was reported, indicating a marked rise in attack volume against organizations worldwide.

Infosecurity Magazine reports that ransomware victim counts have reached a record high according to newly released figures. The data signals increased attack and extortion volume targeting organizations across sectors. Detailed victim lists and actor attribution were not available in the source information.

Infosecurity Magazine · 29d agoRansomware

Active Ransomware Groups Surge

The number of active ransomware groups has surged, expanding the threat landscape as more crews run independent extortion operations.

Infosecurity Magazine reports that the count of active ransomware groups has surged according to recent tracking data. More independently operating crews increase the number of extortion operations defenders must monitor. The available information did not name the specific groups contributing to the increase.

Infosecurity Magazine · 29d agoRansomware

Dragonforce Turf War Ransomware

Infosecurity Magazine reports a turf war within the DragonForce ransomware operation, which could affect its cartel-style affiliate ecosystem.

The article covers reported internal tensions inside the DragonForce ransomware group, which operates a cartel-style model leasing ransomware tools and infrastructure to affiliates. A turf war could disrupt affiliate relationships, recruitment, and the group's operational tempo. Specific details were not included in the available text.

Infosecurity Magazine · Aug 17, 2026Ransomware

Hive Ransomware Has Made 100m To

Hive ransomware reportedly generated about $100 million in victim ransom payments, per the headline; details unconfirmed.

Infosecurity Magazine's headline indicates the Hive ransomware operation has made approximately $100 million. The full article text was unavailable, so the timeframe, data source, and context of the figure could not be verified. Hive is a known ransomware-as-a-service brand known for double extortion of corporate victims.

Infosecurity Magazine · Aug 15, 2026Ransomware

Local governments in four states dealing with cyberattacks that have shut down services

Ransomware and cyberattacks disrupted local governments in California, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin, taking Suisun City's 911 offline.

Suisun City, California (population 30,000) shut down its IT network after malicious software hit 911 routing, police and fire dispatch; the city declared a state of emergency and the FBI is investigating. Coweta, Oklahoma confirmed a ransomware attack affecting all computers and digital services, with off-site backups slated for restoration. Mitchell (South Dakota), Coryell County (Texas) and Washburn County (Wisconsin) also disclosed cyberattacks that shut down networks and disrupted phone and payment systems.

The Record · Aug 11, 2026Ransomware in the wild

Cyberattack encrypts systems at Bavarian municipal utility

Hackers encrypted the central IT network of Bavarian utility Stadtwerke Landsberg, disrupting office systems but not electricity or water services.

Stadtwerke Landsberg said hackers encrypted its central IT network overnight on Sept. 1, prompting disconnection from the internet, crisis-team activation and external forensic support. Essential electricity and water services were unaffected, but staff availability was limited and customer data such as names, addresses and bank details may have been accessed. No ransomware group was named and no extortion demand was confirmed. The attack follows a similar late-June encryption incident at a North Rhine-Westphalia municipal utility, and the BSI consistently ranks ransomware among Germany's most serious cyber threats.

The Record · 8d agoRansomware in the wild

Thousands of Hacked WordPress Sites, One Operation: Unmasking StopAndProtect

Check Point uncovers the StopAndProtect ransomware operation infecting thousands of WordPress sites via ClickFix social engineering and PowerShell downloaders.

Check Point Research first observed the StopAndProtect ransomware family in mid-May 2026 and linked its infrastructure to thousands of hacked WordPress sites. The infection chain begins with ClickFix social engineering that prompts victims to run a PowerShell command, followed by two stages of additional downloaders. The research maps the shared infrastructure unifying the operation.

Check Point Research · 29d agoRansomware in the wild