Ransomware & Extortion
Cybersecurity news in this category
LockBit Claims Breach of U.S. Bank, Sets September 2026 Deadline for Ransom Payment
Sorry Ransomware Exploits cPanel Vulnerability to Directly Lock Linux Servers in Multiple Chinese Incidents
China Warns of New 'Sorry' Ransomware Targeting Exposed Linux Web Servers via cPanel Vulnerability CVE-2026-41940
Ransomware Groups Disable EDR, Backups and Windows Telemetry Before Encryption
Ransomware operators are increasingly focusing on disabling endpoint detection and response tools, backup systems, and Windows telemetry mechanisms prior to launching encryption. An analysis of the ten ransomware families with the lowest prevention rates in 2026 found that Play achieved only 13 percent of attacks blocked. BlackByte followed with 25 percent blocked and LockBit with 30 percent blocked. BabLock leverages a legitimate uninstaller to remove endpoint protection and terminates processes belonging to antivirus, EDR, backup, and database applications. It then clears the Security and System event logs to hinder incident response. LockBit 5.0 instead interferes with Event Tracing for Windows to reduce visibility for monitoring solutions. Additional families employ process injection, in-memory execution, registry modifications, file masquerading, and living-off-the-land binaries to evade detection.
Chinese Courts Hand Down 16-Year and 32-Year Sentences to Ransomware Operators
Two individuals involved in ransomware operations have received lengthy prison terms in China, with one sentenced to 16 years and the other to 32 years. The cases underscore Beijing's increasing focus on prosecuting ransomware-related crimes. The longer sentence reflects the scale and impact of the criminal activity attributed to the second defendant. Chinese authorities have publicly highlighted these outcomes as part of broader efforts against cyber extortion. The rulings send a clear deterrent message to ransomware actors operating within or targeting Chinese infrastructure.
Telegram Removed from App Store After Extortionist Plants AI-Modified CSAM in Archived Message
Pavel Durov stated that an extortionist edited an old public group message by inserting AI-altered child sexual abuse material, allowing the post to evade detection by active chat participants while enabling a direct report to Apple. The tactic triggered automatic removal of Telegram and experimental Telegram X from the App Store in multiple countries including Russia, Turkey, and the United States on August 4. Apple restored the applications after Telegram deleted the prohibited content and blocked the responsible account, with the entire outage lasting approximately ninety minutes. During the incident, push notifications failed for some iOS users, while macOS and Android versions remained unaffected. Durov criticized Apple for suspending the app without prior contact and warned that the same mechanism could be used against any user-generated content platform. Telegram urged Apple to apply equal scrutiny to all incoming reports rather than acting on isolated complaints that bypass normal moderation filters.
Cl0p Exploits Critical Windchill Vulnerability CVE-2026-12569 to Steal Industrial Designs
The Cl0p extortion group is actively targeting internet-exposed PTC Windchill and FlexPLM servers to exfiltrate engineering projects, technical specifications, and other sensitive data. The campaign focuses on organizations in the industrial, automotive, aerospace, defense, and retail sectors. Attackers leverage the critical remote code execution vulnerability CVE-2026-12569, which stems from unsafe deserialization and carries a CVSS score of 9.8, allowing unauthenticated exploitation over the network. The intrusion chain also combines a WSDL endpoint information disclosure in FlexPLM with a login mechanism weakness in Windchill to gain initial access and execute commands without valid credentials. After compromise, operators deploy JSP web shells to maintain persistence, explore files, and prepare data for exfiltration. Affected systems often contain unreleased product designs, engineering drawings, and strategic manufacturing documents. The activity began in early June 2026, with extortion emails sent to hundreds of employees starting July 20 to increase internal pressure ahead of potential data leaks.
Chaos Ransomware Group Uses msaRAT Trojan to Hide C2 Traffic Through Invisible Chrome and Edge Browsers
The Chaos ransomware group has adopted a new Rust-based trojan called msaRAT to conceal its command-and-control communications inside legitimate browser sessions. The malware launches Chrome or Edge in invisible mode and controls it via the Chrome DevTools Protocol, keeping all outbound traffic restricted to localhost. It then injects JavaScript to negotiate a WebRTC connection through Cloudflare Workers before routing data over Twilio TURN servers, preventing the attackers' real infrastructure from appearing in network logs. Commands are executed through cmd.exe, and the implant includes queuing mechanisms that support reliable transfer of files, screenshots, and larger data volumes. In the analyzed incident, operators delivered the malware via an MSI installer disguised as a Windows update that loaded the msaRAT DLL directly into memory. The technique does not exploit any vulnerabilities in Chrome or Edge and is designed to blend malicious traffic with normal corporate browser activity.
Qilin Ransomware Operators Exploit Palo Alto PAN-OS VPN Flaw CVE-2026-0257
Operators linked to the Qilin ransomware group have been actively exploiting an authentication bypass vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS to gain initial access to corporate networks. The attacks, observed in June 2026, targeted the GlobalProtect VPN service running on Palo Alto firewalls and were tracked under CVE-2026-0257. Attackers used specially crafted authentication cookies to establish unauthorized VPN sessions, after which they harvested credentials from Windows LSASS processes and Active Directory NTDS databases. Lateral movement relied heavily on PsExec and administrative shares, supplemented by tools such as AnyDesk, Ngrok, LogMeIn, and NetExec. Before deploying the ransomware binary stored as win.exe in C:\PerfLogs\, the threat actors disabled Microsoft Defender real-time protection and cleared event logs. The vulnerability affects PAN-OS versions 10.2, 11.1, 11.2, and 12.1 as well as certain Prisma Access editions, while Panorama and Cloud NGFW remain unaffected.
Ransomware Attack Hits Coca-Cola Subsidiary Fairlife, Temporarily Halting US Production Systems
Fairlife, a company owned by Coca-Cola, temporarily suspended production operations in the United States after detecting unauthorized access to parts of its systems in a ransomware incident. The breach, publicly disclosed by Coca-Cola on July 16, 2026, affected environments directly linked to industrial production, prompting an immediate shutdown while investigations and recovery efforts continue. Fairlife manufactures milk, protein beverages, and other dairy products sold across the North American market, making the incident potentially disruptive to product availability, logistics, and internal processes. The company activated its incident response and business continuity protocols and engaged external cybersecurity specialists and consultants to assist with containment, investigation, and system restoration. No information has yet been released regarding data exfiltration, file encryption, or ransom demands, and the full scope of the attack remains under assessment. Coca-Cola has notified law enforcement authorities about the incident, while operations at Fairlife facilities in Canada were confirmed to be unaffected.
Six Weeks of Inactivity and 37 Years of History Lost: Cyberattack Forces German Textile Firm ZEGO into Bankruptcy
A prolonged cyberattack that halted operations for nearly six weeks has driven the Bavarian textile company ZEGO Textilveredelungszentrum into insolvency proceedings, ending 37 years of business activity. The firm, which specialized in fabric finishing and processing for the automotive sector, workwear producers, and technical textiles, was unable to recover from the severe financial strain caused by the production standstill that began after the incident on 29 March 2026. Managing Director Johannes Zenglein described the decision to seek creditor protection as one of the most difficult in the company’s history, noting that the financial burden had become insurmountable. Although the company has not disclosed whether ransomware was involved or whether attackers accessed customer or employee data, it confirmed that the operational shutdown alone pushed the business to the brink of collapse. ZEGO now hopes to continue limited production while insolvency administrators explore restructuring options to preserve jobs and relationships with clients and suppliers. The case echoes other high-profile incidents, such as the bankruptcy of British logistics company KNP Logistics after 158 years of operation following a ransomware attack that encrypted its systems.