Latest Ransomware News and New File Extensions
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Play Ransomware:
- New Encrypted File Extension: Not specified in the provided articles.
- Attack Methods: Not specified; articles announce data leaks post-attack.
- Targets: Multiple US-based companies: Arboris, Juggernaut, Vanderpool Construction, and All States Materials Group.
- Decryption Status: No known public decryption tool available.
- Source: Source not provided in the input.
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Qilin Ransomware:
- New Encrypted File Extension: Not specified in the provided articles.
- Attack Methods: Not specified; articles announce data leaks post-attack.
- Targets: PathoQuest-Biotechnology Research (USA-France), L&S Proline (USA, Oil & Gas), Tecnología Especializada Asociada de México (Mexico), and ESIC University (Spain).
- Decryption Status: No known public decryption tool available.
- Source: Source not provided in the input.
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Desolator Ransomware:
- New Encrypted File Extension: Not specified in the provided articles.
- Attack Methods: Not specified; articles announce data leaks post-attack.
- Targets: Construseñales S.A., LEVEL, Tri Thuc Software, and Construcciones Sala.
- Decryption Status: No known public decryption tool available.
- Source: Source not provided in the input.
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Safepay Ransomware:
- New Encrypted File Extension: Not specified in the provided articles.
- Attack Methods: Not specified; articles announce data leaks post-attack.
- Targets: Sanderson Management (USA, Property Management).
- Decryption Status: No known public decryption tool available.
- Source: Source not provided in the input.
Observations and Further Recommendations
- Multiple ransomware groups, including Play, Qilin, Desolator, and Safepay, remain highly active, targeting a diverse range of industries such as biotechnology, construction, oil & gas, and education across various countries.
- The announcements focus on publicizing successful breaches on leak sites, indicating a primary strategy of double extortion where data is stolen before encryption to pressure victims into paying the ransom.
- Organizations should prioritize robust cybersecurity measures, including multi-factor authentication, regular system patching, offline data backups, and employee training on phishing awareness to mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks.
News Details
- ScarCruft Uses RokRAT Malware in Operation HanKook Phantom Targeting South Korean Academics: Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new phishing campaign undertaken by the North Korea-linked hacking group called ScarCruft (aka APT37) to deliver a malware known as RokRAT. The activity has been codenamed Operation HanKook Phantom by Seqrite Labs, stating the attacks appear to target individuals associated with the National Intelligence Research Association, including academic figures
- OpenAI is testing “Thinking effort” for ChatGPT: OpenAI is working on a new feature called the Thinking effort picker for ChatGPT. […]
- Is AI the end of software engineering or the next step in its evolution?: The first time I used ChatGPT to code, back in early 2023, I was reminded of “The Monkey’s Paw,” a classic horror story about an accursed talisman that grants wishes, but always by the most malevolent path – the desired outcome arrives after exacting a brutal cost elsewhere first. With the same humorless literalness, ChatGPT would implement the change I’d asked for, while also scrambling dozens of unrelated lines.
- Silksong is only $19.99: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Team Cherry’s sequel to Hollow Knight that has been in development for seven years, is releasing later this week for just $19.99. Silksong’s highly-anticipated launch on September 4th comes with a modest $5 bump over Hollow Knight’s original $14.99 price tag.
- Hell Is Us is a cryptic and ambitious meditation on the horrors of war: The opening hours of Hell Is Us are brilliantly confusing. The game tasks you with getting up to speed on a complicated civil war between the Palomists and Sabinians. A deluge of proper nouns is unleashed: Lymbic weaponry, Guardian Detectors, and more.
- Chatbots can be manipulated through flattery and peer pressure: Generally, AI chatbots are not supposed to do things like call you names or tell you how to make controlled substances. But, just like a person, with the right psychological tactics, it seems like at least some LLMs can be convinced to break their own rules.
- The Verge’s favorite gifts for book lovers: What do you gift somebody who loves books? The obvious answer is “a book,” but since true bibliophiles are probably sitting on a stack already, it’s worth getting a little more creative. Luckily for you, many of us at The Verge are big bookworms ourselves, which is why we rounded up a bunch of clever, useful gifts our staff can vouch for.
- Meta is struggling to rein in its AI chatbots: Meta is changing some of the rules governing its chatbots two weeks after a Reuters investigation revealed disturbing ways in which they could, potentially, interact with minors. Now the company has told TechCrunch that its chatbots are being trained not to engage in conversations with minors around self-harm, suicide, or disordered eating, and to avoid inappropriate romantic banter.
- AI agents are science fiction not yet ready for primetime: This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on all things AI, follow Hayden Field. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started. It all started with J.A.R.V.I.S. Yes, that J.A.R.V.I.S. The one from the Marvel movies.
- Verizon’s ‘software issue’ has disconnected many wireless customers across the US: Verizon has confirmed to customers in stores and online that its network is having an issue on Saturday. Many people have been unable to connect and make or receive calls for hours, while DownDetector’s tracker peaked in the afternoon at around 3:30PM ET with more than 20,000 reports.
- 🏴☠️ Desolator has just published a new victim : Construseñales S.A.: Status: waiting | Expiration: 2025-09-04T00:00
- 🏴☠️ Qilin has just published a new victim : PathoQuest-Biotechnology Research: PathoQuest-Biotechnology Research, USA-France The company conducts research on innovative biopharmaceuticals under complex testing conditions on two continents. PathoQuest offers a proven next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach to biosafety …
- 🏴☠️ Play has just published a new victim : Arboris: United States
- 🏴☠️ Play has just published a new victim : Juggernaut: United States
- 🏴☠️ Play has just published a new victim : Vanderpool Construction: United States
- 🏴☠️ Play has just published a new victim : All States Materials Group: United States
- 🏴☠️ Desolator has just published a new victim : LEVEL: Status: waiting | Expiration: 2025-09-05T00:00
- 🏴☠️ Qilin has just published a new victim : L&S Proline: L&S Proline, USA – Drill, baby, drill! L&S Proline is a full-service company specializing in solutions for the oil and gas industry, offering a range of products and services, including measurement control equipment, structural fabrication, a …
- 🏴☠️ Qilin has just published a new victim : Tecnología Especializada Asociada de México: Tecnología Especializada Asociada de México, not a dream TEAM. The company positions itself as a ‘strategic link between producers, distribution channels and end consumers’. In reality, behind the buzzwords they try to hide the reality. …
- 🏴☠️ Qilin has just published a new victim : ESIC_TR: ESIC University, Spain, is a higher education institution focused on the world of marketing. In other words, they teach how to sell products and ideas. One of the main principles of marketing is that people don’t know what they need until we …
- 🏴☠️ Desolator has just published a new victim : Tri Thuc Software: Status: waiting | Expiration: 2025-09-01T00:00
- 🏴☠️ Desolator has just published a new victim : Construcciones Sala: Status: waiting | Expiration: 2025-09-04T00:00
- 🏴☠️ Safepay has just published a new victim : sandersonmanagement.com: Sanderson Management is a renowned property management company based in the United States, specializing in the efficient and effective management …