Cyber Security News

Ransomware Groups Target Organizations to Exfiltrate Data and Blackmail via Leak Site Posts

Ransomware attacks have continued their relentless assault on organizations worldwide, with a focus on data exfiltration and subsequent blackmail through leak site posts.

Rapid7 Labs’ analysis of internal and public data provides insights into the evolving landscape of ransomware threats.

Evolving Tactics in Ransomware Operations

The ransomware ecosystem has seen a shift where established and emerging groups like Ailock, Belsen Group, and CrazyHunter, among others, maintain their aggressive tactics, shuns innovation for tried-and-true methods for revenue generation.

These groups favor double extortion strategies, where data is both encrypted and stolen, placing immense pressure on victims to pay not only for decryption but also to prevent data leaks.

According to the Report, Key industries under siege this quarter include manufacturing, business services, healthcare, and construction.

Ransomware GroupsRansomware Groups
Top 10 Ransomware Groups

Rapidly, 22% of leak site posts targeted manufacturing organizations, showcasing a slight increase in focus on this sector.

Geographically, the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, and Australia continue to be prime targets, with an unusual rise in attacks on. victims from Colombia and Thailand.

A notable trend observed is the reinvestment of ransoms into zero-day exploits, as highlighted by the Black Basta chat leaks.

Although the’s unclear whether the Ivanti Connect Secure exploit discussed was purchased, it’s evident that ransomware groups are now looking to enhance their capabilities through technological acquisition.

This move to buy zero days represents a disturbing evolution in their operational sophistication.

Moreover, the repurposing of old data and the creation of new identities among ransomware groups has continued unabated.

Groups like Babuk 2.0, which turned out to be LockBit 3.0 with a new name, demonstrate the fluid nature of these entities, making tracking and anticipating their moves more challenging for cybersecurity professionals.

Emerging Players and Notable Shifts

Several new and rebranded groups are making headlines, with who leverage advanced tactics:

  • RansomHub has been particularly prolific, employing both encryption and data theft across multiple sectors, showing no signs of slowing down.
  • Cl0p continues to dominate with its history of supply-chain attacks, now focusing heavily on exploiting vulnerabilities in file transfer software.
  • Anubis represents a unique blend of cyber-extortion with a ‘Robin Hood’ twist, targeting organizations while presenting leaks as public interest stories.
  • Lynx and Qilin have also made significant impacts, with Lynx providing a user-friendly platform for affiliates, and Qilin showing versatility in targeting various sectors with high volumes of data exfiltration.
ransoms with deadlines

To combat these evolving threats, businesses are urge to bolster their defenses:

  • Enhance multi-factor authentication (MFA) settings, ensuring no exceptions for critical access points.
  • Deploy and maintain secure MFA protocols alongside strong password policies and geofencing restrictions.
  • Prioritize patch management for edge devices, particularly when vulnerabilities are actively exploited in the wild.

As we progress through 2025, the dual landscape of-rising sophisticated and straightforward ransomware tactics underscores the need for businesses to remain vigilant and proactive in their cybersecurity measures.

Find this News Interesting! Follow us on Google NewsLinkedIn, & X to Get Instant Updates!

Aman Mishra

Aman Mishra is a Security and privacy Reporter covering various data breach, cyber crime, malware, & vulnerability.

Recent Posts

Hackers Exploit Windows Remote Management to Evade Detection in AD Networks

A new wave of cyberattacks is targeting Active Directory (AD) environments by abusing Windows Remote…

11 minutes ago

Researchers Uncover Remote Code Execution Flaw in macOS – CVE-2024-44236

Security researchers Nikolai Skliarenko and Yazhi Wang of Trend Micro’s Research Team have disclosed critical…

45 minutes ago

Apache ActiveMQ Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Induce DoS Condition

Critical vulnerability in Apache ActiveMQ (CVE-2024-XXXX) exposes brokers to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks by allowing malicious…

48 minutes ago

Kaspersky Alerts on AI-Driven Slopsquatting as Emerging Supply Chain Threat

Cybersecurity researchers at Kaspersky have identified a new supply chain vulnerability emerging from the widespread…

49 minutes ago

UK Government to Shift Away from Passwords in New Security Move

UK government has unveiled plans to implement passkey technology across its digital services later this…

51 minutes ago

Europol Dismantles DDoS-for-Hire Network and Arrests Four Administrators

Significant blow to cybercriminal infrastructure, Europol has coordinated an international operation resulting in the arrest…

59 minutes ago