DarkSide

Threat Actor updated 7 days ago (2024-10-03T23:01:52.480Z)

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DarkSide is a threat actor known for its malicious activities, primarily in the realm of ransomware attacks. One of their most notable exploits occurred on May 7, 2021, when they targeted Colonial Pipeline Co., a major player in the U.S. energy sector. The attack disrupted the gasoline supply across parts of the United States and resulted in Colonial Pipeline paying a $4.4 million ransom to recover from the DarkSide ransomware attack. In total, the DarkSide ransomware group received $4.6 million in ransom payments in 2021. They are also suspected of being involved in deploying other ransomware types such as REvil. Security researchers have identified DarkSide's involvement in various ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) projects, including its own DarkSide project and later, BlackMatter, after encountering issues with U.S. law enforcement. The DarkSide and BlackMatter operations were reportedly capable of deploying ransomware against VMWare ESXi and Synology NAS systems, demonstrating a high level of technical sophistication. These groups have also been linked to the Emotet botnet, which has been used to distribute ransomware. However, DarkSide's reign was short-lived. Following the Colonial Pipeline attack, the FBI managed to recover the majority of the ransom within a month. DarkSide subsequently lost control of its infrastructure to U.S. law enforcement, possibly including the U.S. military, before going dark. Despite attempts to rebrand and reemerge as BlackMatter, the group was quickly dismantled by the FBI. It's worth noting that some members of DarkSide and BlackMatter are suspected to have ties to the Alphv/BlackCat and REvil groups, indicating a potential pattern of threat actors evolving and adapting in response to law enforcement actions.

Description last updated: 2024-10-03T22:16:09.844Z

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Possible Aliases / Cluster overlaps

It's hard to track cluster overlaps and naming conventions between vendors, so here are some possible overlapping names / profiles you also may want to look at. Create a free account to see the source evidence for each alias, and help fix any errors.

Alias Description	Votes
Blackmatter is a possible alias for DarkSide. BlackMatter is a recognized threat actor in the cybersecurity industry, notorious for its malicious activities and the execution of ransomware attacks. The group initially operated as DarkSide, responsible for the high-profile Colonial Pipeline attack in May 2021, which led to significant attention	9
Alphv is a possible alias for DarkSide. AlphV, also known as BlackCat, is a notable threat actor that has been operational since November 2021. This group has pioneered the public leaks business model in the realm of ransomware attacks and has been associated with significant cybercrimes. It is particularly infamous for its attack on Morr	7

Miscellaneous Associations

Other elements of context that could aid in the identification of relevance

Ransomware

Ransom

RaaS

Malware

Windows

Esxi

Cybercrime

Vulnerability

Vpn

Clop

Bitcoin

Extortion

Russia

Scam

Encryption

Exploit

Analyst Notes & Discussion

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Associated Malware

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Alias Description	Association Type	Votes
The REvil Malware is associated with DarkSide. REvil is a notorious malware, specifically ransomware, which infiltrates computer systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites. It then exploits and damages the compromised system, often stealing personal information, disrupting operations, or holding data hostage for ransom. As part of	is related to	9
The Lockbit Malware is associated with DarkSide. LockBit is a notorious malware that has been involved in several high-profile ransomware incidents, including attacks on Boeing, London Drugs, Ontario hospitals, and Accenture. The malicious software infiltrates systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often unbeknownst to the user	Unspecified	6
The Avaddon Malware is associated with DarkSide. Avaddon is a type of malware, specifically ransomware, designed to exploit and damage computer systems. It was notable for its compatibility with older systems such as Windows XP and Windows 2003, distinguishing it from other ransomware like Darkside and Babuk which targeted more modern systems like	Unspecified	5
The Maze Malware is associated with DarkSide. Maze is a type of malware, specifically ransomware, that gained notoriety in 2019 for its double extortion tactic. This malicious software infects systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites and can steal personal information, disrupt operations, or hold data hostage for ransom. Maze w	Unspecified	5
The Conti Malware is associated with DarkSide. Conti is a type of malware, specifically a ransomware, that infiltrates computer systems to exploit and damage them. It was commonly used in cyberattacks by ITG23, a cybercriminal group which also used other malware like Trickbot and BazarLoader. The Conti ransomware was known for its sophisticated	Unspecified	4
The Babuk Malware is associated with DarkSide. Babuk is a type of malware, specifically ransomware, that infiltrates systems to encrypt files and hold them for ransom. This malicious software can infect your system through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often without the user's knowledge. Once inside, it can disrupt operations by enc	Unspecified	4
The Hive Malware is associated with DarkSide. Hive is a malicious software (malware) known for its ransomware capabilities, which has been highly active in numerous countries, including the US. This malware infects systems often through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, disrupting operations and stealing personal information. Notably,	Unspecified	3
The Ragnar Locker Malware is associated with DarkSide. Ragnar Locker is a type of malware, specifically ransomware, known for its destructive impact on computer systems. It infiltrates systems primarily through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, and once inside, it can steal personal information, disrupt operations, or hold data hostage for rans	Unspecified	3
The Ryuk Malware is associated with DarkSide. Ryuk is a type of malware known as ransomware, which has been utilized by the threat group ITG23 for several years. This group has been notorious for crypting their malware, with crypters seen in use with other malware such as Trickbot, Emotet, Cobalt Strike, and Ryuk. In 2019, most ransomware inves	Unspecified	3
The Trigona Malware is associated with DarkSide. Trigona was a significant strain of ransomware that emerged in 2022, known for its harmful effects on computer systems. The malware infiltrated systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often without the user's knowledge. Once inside, it could steal personal information, disrupt ope	Unspecified	2
The Revil/sodinokibi Malware is associated with DarkSide. REvil/Sodinokibi is a type of malware, specifically ransomware, first identified on September 24, 2019. This malicious software is designed to infiltrate systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often unbeknownst to the user. Once inside a system, it can steal personal information,	Unspecified	2
The Maze Ransomware Malware is associated with DarkSide. Maze ransomware is a type of malware that emerged in 2019, employing a double extortion tactic to wreak havoc on its victims. This malicious software infiltrates systems through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites and can steal personal information, disrupt operations, or hold data hostage for	Unspecified	2
The Cheerscrypt Malware is associated with DarkSide. Cheerscrypt is a malicious software (malware) that was discovered in May 2022, specifically designed to target ESXi servers, which are extensively used by enterprises for server virtualization. This discovery was made following the reporting of DarkSide ransomware variants in May 2021. Cheerscrypt,	Unspecified	2
The Lockbit Black Malware is associated with DarkSide. LockBit Black, also known as LockBit 3.0, is a malicious software that emerged in early 2022 following the release of its predecessor, LockBit 2.0 (or LockBit Red) in mid-2021. The malware has been developed to exploit and damage computer systems by encrypting files, often leading to ransom demands	Unspecified	2
The Bablock Malware is associated with DarkSide. BabLock, also known as Rorschach, is a type of malware that operates as ransomware. First identified by Check Point Research in April 2023, this harmful software infiltrates computer systems and devices, often without the user's knowledge, with the aim to exploit, damage, and potentially hold data h	Unspecified	2

Associated Threat Actors

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Alias Description	Association Type	Votes
The FIN7 Threat Actor is associated with DarkSide. FIN7, also known as Carbanak, is a Russian cybercrime group that has been active since mid-2015. They are known for their malicious activities primarily targeting the restaurant, gambling, and hospitality industries in the United States to harvest financial information which is then used in attacks	Unspecified	4
The Sodinokibi Threat Actor is associated with DarkSide. Sodinokibi, also known as REvil, is a significant threat actor first identified in April 2019. This ransomware family operates as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) and has been responsible for one in three ransomware incidents responded to by IBM Security X-Force in 2020. The Sodinokibi ransomware st	Unspecified	3
The LockBitSupp Threat Actor is associated with DarkSide. LockBitSupp, also known as Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, is a Russian national who has been identified as the leader and key developer behind the prolific ransomware variant, LockBit. From as early as September 2019 through to 2024, Khoroshev was involved in recruiting new affiliate members, speaking	Unspecified	2
The Sangria Tempest Threat Actor is associated with DarkSide. Sangria Tempest, also known as Carbon Spider, Elbrus, and FIN7, is a threat actor that has been active since 2013. In mid-November 2023, Microsoft observed Sangria Tempest using Storm-1113's EugenLoader delivered through malicious MSIX package installations. The group frequently targets the restaura	Unspecified	2

Associated Vulnerabilities

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Alias Description	Association Type	Votes
The vulnerability CVE-2021-20016 is associated with DarkSide.	Unspecified	2

Source Document References

Information about the DarkSide Threat Actor was read from the documents corpus below. This display is limited to 20 results, create a free account to see more

Source Link	CreatedAt	Title
BankInfoSecurity	7 days ago	Breach Roundup: AI 'Nudify' Sites Serve Malware
Securityaffairs	2 months ago	A cyberattack hit US oil giant Halliburton
BankInfoSecurity	2 months ago	Oil Services Giant Halliburton Disrupted by Hack Attack
DARKReading	3 months ago	Security End-Run: 'AuKill' Shuts Down Windows-Reliant EDR Processes
BankInfoSecurity	3 months ago	Millions Affected by Prudential Ransomware Hack in February
Quick Heal Technologies Ltd.	4 months ago	Doubt Your Vulnerability to Ransomware Attacks? Know How Quick Heal’s Protection Will Save You!
BankInfoSecurity	6 months ago	FIN7 Targeted US Automotive Giant In Failed Attack
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Protecting branch office environments from ransomware
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Ransomware's appetite for US healthcare sees known attacks double in a year \| Malwarebytes
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Ransomware Talent Surges to Akira After LockBit's Demise
BankInfoSecurity	7 months ago	Ransomware Talent Surges to Akira After LockBit's Demise
CERT-EU	7 months ago	The Change Healthcare attack: Explaining how it happened \| #hacking \| #cybersecurity \| #infosec \| #comptia \| #pentest \| #ransomware \| National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Operational Technology Threats - ReliaQuest
CERT-EU	7 months ago	The Great BlackCat Ransomware Heist
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Cybersecurity tips to follow to keep your information safe \| #hacking \| #cybersecurity \| #infosec \| #comptia \| #pentest \| #ransomware \| National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU	7 months ago	ALPHV/BlackCat gang vanishes amid ransomware ‘turmoil‘ \| #ransomware \| #cybercrime \| National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Ransomware group behind Change Healthcare attack goes dark
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Calls grow for federal funding after Change Healthcare cyberattack
CERT-EU	7 months ago	Blackcat ransomware site reportedly seized but UK agency denies responsibility \| #ransomware \| #cybercrime \| National Cyber Security Consulting
InfoSecurity-magazine	7 months ago	ALPHV/BlackCat Ransomware Servers Go Down