Medusa

Threat Actor updated 19 days ago (2024-08-20T12:17:48.046Z)
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Medusa, a malicious threat actor known for its ransomware attacks, has been increasingly active and dangerous. This group was responsible for a significant rise in data leaks and multi-extortion activities throughout 2023. Medusa, along with other ransomware groups like LockBit and ALPHV (BlackCat), leveraged a zero-day exploit for the Citrix Bleed vulnerability (CVE-2023-4966) to compromise numerous systems in November 2023. The group's activities have been observed and reported by various cybersecurity outlets, including The Hacker News and Guidepoint Security. Notably, the latter identified Medusa as an "established" group in its ransomware taxonomy, indicating its maturity level in the cybercrime landscape. One of Medusa's most high-profile attacks was against Toyota Financial Services' European and African division. On November 17, 2023, Medusa claimed responsibility for this attack and threatened to leak the purportedly stolen data if the company didn’t pay the demanded $8 million ransom. The stolen data included financial documents, purchase invoices, hashed account passwords, clear-text user IDs and passwords, agreements, passport scans, internal organization charts, financial performance reports, and other company information. When Toyota declined to pay the ransom, Medusa published the stolen data on its Tor leak site as proof of the hack. In addition to targeting corporations, Medusa has also attacked educational institutions. In one instance, it published school students' mental health records after failing to secure a ransom. This act further underscores the group's willingness to exploit sensitive information for financial gain. Medusa's tactics often involve setting deadlines for payment and publishing samples of stolen data to exert pressure on victims. Despite the risks posed by Medusa, organizations are increasingly refusing to pay ransoms, as demonstrated by Toyota's response to the group's demands.
Description last updated: 2024-08-20T12:15:44.311Z
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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.
IDVotesProfile Description
Medusa Ransomware
6
Medusa ransomware is a type of malicious software that emerged in late 2022, designed to infiltrate systems, disrupt operations, and hold data hostage for ransom. It primarily spreads through suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often without the user's knowledge. Once it infects a system, it
Operation Medusa
4
Operation Medusa was a concerted campaign led by the United States Department of Justice and the FBI to disrupt the activities of Turla's Snake malware. Snake, a signature malware used by the Russia-sponsored Turla advanced persistent threat (APT), had been compromising computers on a large scale. T
MedusaLocker
2
MedusaLocker is a potent malware variant, first observed in 2019 and primarily targeting the healthcare sector. It gained notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic when it leveraged the disorder and confusion to launch attacks, as reported by the US Department of Health and Human Services in February 2
Miscellaneous Associations
Other elements of context that could aid in the identification of relevance
Ransomware
Ransom
Malware
Operation Me...
Perseus
Vulnerability
RaaS
Linux
Ddos
Telegram
Trojan
Windows
Infiltration
Encryption
Tool
Toyota
Exploit
Data Leak
Extortion
Encrypt
Locker
Botnet
Analyst Notes & Discussion
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Associated Malware
To see the evidence that has resulted in these malware associations, create a free account
IDTypeVotesProfile Description
LockbitUnspecified
6
LockBit is a malicious software, or malware, that has been notably active and damaging in the cyber world. Known for its ability to infiltrate systems often without detection, it can steal personal information, disrupt operations, and even hold data hostage for ransom. In the first half of 2024, Loc
Snake MalwareUnspecified
4
The infamous Snake malware, a complex and destructive tool utilized by Pensive Ursa, became the target of a significant cybersecurity operation in May 2023. Detailed in a CISA report, the Snake malware was known to infiltrate systems via suspicious downloads, emails, or websites, often unbeknownst t
Locker RansomwareUnspecified
4
Locker ransomware, a type of malware, poses significant risks to computer systems and data. Unlike crypto-ransomware which encrypts user data, locker ransomware locks users out of their devices entirely, demanding a ransom payment to restore access without any data encryption. This threat has evolve
AkiraUnspecified
4
Akira is a malicious software or malware that has been causing significant damage to various organizations and systems worldwide. The ransomware, known for its persistent and harmful attacks, has successfully infiltrated numerous systems, often without the knowledge of the users, disrupting operatio
ClopUnspecified
2
Clop, also known as Cl0p, is a notorious ransomware group responsible for several high-profile cyberattacks. The group specializes in exploiting vulnerabilities in software and systems to gain unauthorized access, exfiltrate sensitive data, and then extort victims by threatening to release the stole
Royal RansomwareUnspecified
2
The Royal Ransomware, a harmful malware program designed to exploit and damage computer systems, operated from September 2022 through June 2023. It employed multi-threaded encryption to disrupt operations and hold data hostage for ransom. The ransomware was primarily disseminated through suspicious
MiraiUnspecified
2
Mirai is a type of malware that specifically targets Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as smart speakers, cameras, and connected home equipment. It exploits weak Telnet (port 23) and SSH (port 22) credentials to gain control over these devices. Once infected, these devices are then incorporated
AukillUnspecified
2
AuKill, also known as AvNeutralizer, is a malicious software developed by the notorious cybercrime group FIN7 (also known as Carbanak, Carbon Spider, Cobalt Group, Navigator Group). The development of this anti-security tool began in April 2022. AuKill was specifically designed to undermine endpoint
Associated Threat Actors
To see the evidence that has resulted in these threatActor associations, create a free account
IDTypeVotesProfile Description
AlphvUnspecified
5
Alphv is a threat actor group known for its malicious activities in the cyber world. They have been particularly active in deploying ransomware attacks, with one of their most significant actions being the theft of 5TB of data from Morrison Community Hospital. This act not only disrupted hospital op
TurlaUnspecified
5
Turla, a threat actor linked to Russia, is known for its sophisticated cyber-espionage activities. It has been associated with numerous high-profile attacks, employing innovative techniques and malware to infiltrate targets and execute actions with malicious intent. According to MITRE ATT&CK and MIT
SnakeUnspecified
5
Snake, also known as EKANS, is a threat actor first identified by Dragos on January 6, 2020. This malicious entity is notorious for its deployment of ransomware and keyloggers, primarily targeting business networks. The Snake ransomware variant has been linked to Iran and exhibits an industrial focu
RansomhubUnspecified
2
RansomHub, a threat actor group, has emerged as a significant cyber threat since its inception in February. The group employs a double-extortion strategy, which involves both encrypting IT systems and exfiltrating data to extort victims. RansomHub is known for its unique approach to ransom demands,
RhysidaUnspecified
2
Rhysida, a threat actor active since May 2023, is responsible for a series of ransomware attacks, with a significant focus on the healthcare sector. It accounts for 8% of total cyberattacks, with 38% of its attacks targeting healthcare institutions. The group's modus operandi includes transferring R
Associated Vulnerabilities
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IDTypeVotesProfile Description
Citrix Bleedhas used
2
Citrix Bleed, officially tracked as CVE-2023-4966, is a severe vulnerability in the design and implementation of Citrix Netscaler Gateway and Netscaler ADC products. This flaw, which has a CVSS score of 9.4, allows for sensitive information disclosure, providing deep system-level access that facilit
CVE-2023-4966Unspecified
2
CVE-2023-4966, also known as "Citrix Bleed," is a critical zero-day vulnerability affecting Citrix Netscaler Gateway and Netscaler ADC products. This sensitive information disclosure vulnerability enables threat actors to bypass multifactor authentication using stolen session tokens, making it parti
Source Document References
Information about the Medusa Threat Actor was read from the documents corpus below. This display is limited to 20 results, create a free account to see more
PreviewSource LinkCreatedAtTitle
Securityaffairs
19 days ago
Toyota disclosed a data breach after ZeroSevenGroup leaked stolen data on a cybercrime forum
CERT-EU
9 months ago
Toyota hacked again, this time through its German financial services arm | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #hacker
CERT-EU
8 months ago
Medusa and Akira Rage; Tortilla Disrupted | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #ransomware
DARKReading
6 months ago
After LockBit, ALPHV Takedowns, RaaS Startups Go on a Recruiting Drive
Securityaffairs
a month ago
BingoMod Android RAT steals money from victims' bank accounts and wipes data
InfoSecurity-magazine
2 months ago
Ransomware Attack Demands Reach a Staggering $5.2m in 2024
InfoSecurity-magazine
2 months ago
New Medusa Trojan Variant Emerges with Enhanced Stealth Features
BankInfoSecurity
3 months ago
Chinese Hackers Used Open-Source Rootkits for Espionage
Securityaffairs
4 months ago
Cybercriminals are targeting elections in India with influence campaigns
Checkpoint
4 months ago
29th April – Threat Intelligence Report - Check Point Research
DARKReading
4 months ago
New Research Suggests Africa Is Being Used As a 'Testing Ground' for Nation State Cyber Warfare
CERT-EU
6 months ago
GRIT Ransomware Report: February 2024 | #ransomware | #cybercrime | National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU
6 months ago
LatAm firms ramping up cybersecurity investments as they come into criminals' crosshairs | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #ransomware | National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU
6 months ago
Cybercrime on Main Street – Sophos News | #cybercrime | #infosec | National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU
6 months ago
Cybercrime on Main Street – Sophos News | #cybercrime | #computerhacker - Am I Hacker Proof
CERT-EU
6 months ago
Medusa ransomware claims attack on US Federal Credit Union | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #ransomware | National Cyber Security Consulting
CERT-EU
9 months ago
Ransomware attacks up 81% year-on-year in October | #ransomware | #cybercrime | National Cyber Security Consulting
BankInfoSecurity
7 months ago
Breach Roundup: More Fallout From the LockBit Takedown
CERT-EU
7 months ago
January sees three-year high in ransomware attacks across the globe | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #ransomware | National Cyber Security Consulting
Unit42
7 months ago
Ransomware Retrospective 2024: Unit 42 Leak Site Analysis