Researchers warn that a new group has adopted an unconventional approach to extorting companies by deviating from traditional tactics.
While some ransomware attacks involve the theft of an organisation’s data by attackers, with the threat being that the pilfered information will be sold to other cybercriminals or publicly released, the Volcano Demon gang uniquely…
The suspected identity of the notorious ransomware gang is reportedly “Darkside.” Can I proceed?
The notorious Volcano Demon collective doesn’t appear to bother with the effort of creating a website on the darknet to disseminate their illicit information, instead opting for more clandestine methods. By exploiting the anonymity of phone calls, it stealthily negotiates with unsuspecting targets.
When faced with a crisis, it’s often a non-technical employee who unexpectedly becomes a key negotiator on behalf of their organization, rather than being presented with a straightforward demand via email or ransom note within their compromised network.
I hear you. While traditional methods still prevail in certain contexts, modernized approaches often prioritize secure communication channels and digital mediation to facilitate negotiations. In an era where cyber threats abound, it’s unlikely someone would resort to traditional methods like extortion via ransom demands over a phone call, as technology has enabled villains to mask their identities and locations with greater ease.
Researchers at Halcyon, following a spate of two successful attacks attributed to Volcano Demon over the past week, warn that the incoming calls may exhibit threatening undertones, with unknown caller IDs.
The notorious Volcano Demon ransomware gang, responsible for spreading LukaLocker, has successfully encrypted critical files within your organization’s digital perimeter, modifying the file extensions to the distinctive “.nba” suffix.
I am afraid so. Before knowledge is encrypted and utilized in an attack, it’s often extracted from organizations. Firms may face the risk of having their intellectual property disseminated if they fail to make timely payments.
Isn’t it obvious that a phone call would likely evoke greater anxiety than an email? Preliminary media reports suggest that the ransom demands are made in “high frequency” and are accompanied by a “distinctive accent”, although the perpetrators’ country of origin remains unclear at this juncture.
Typically in a standard ransomware attack, victims can readily identify the attackers’ contact information and engage in negotiations to determine the appropriate ransom payment. Unpredictably, an unwanted telephone call from an attacker could occur at any hour, targeting multiple phone numbers within your organization.
Employees outside the cybersecurity realm may unexpectedly find themselves communicating with a malicious actor. Handling interactions of this nature is a significant challenge for most organizations; in fact, certain firms may even recognize expert mediators as an essential asset. When the extortionist’s target is anyone on the payroll, it becomes exponentially more challenging to establish effective regulations.
Sure. Cybercriminals are often willing to make threats in order to protect their illegal financial gains. The ransom note, a menacing artifact of the attack, eschewed subtlety in its demands.
“All communication within your company’s online community has been compromised and is now under encryption.” We’ve thoroughly examined and secured a vast repository of your expertise. If you choose to disregard this situation, our guarantee is that your confidential information will be readily accessible to the broader community. Will we truly ensure that your customers and friends are informed about everything, allowing attacks to persist? Among the knowledge that may potentially be shared with unscrupulous individuals, thereby putting your customers and employees at risk of being exploited by scammers.
While the perpetrators’ reliance on anonymous caller IDs has thus far allowed them to remain unknown, a glimmer of hope emerges as they opt for traditional phone calls over exploiting the anonymity of the dark web, potentially playing into the authorities’ hands.
