mrmoor/cyber-threat-intelligence · Datasets at Hugging Face

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13,867	Even the DarkSide actors themselves admit that they just buy access to company networks — they have no idea how access was acquired.	[ { "id": 43011, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 9, "end_offset": 17 }, { "id": 43012, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 52, "end_offset": 56 }, { "id": 43013, "label": "location", "start_offset": 57, "end_offset": 60 } ]	[]	[]
13,869	The DarkSide ransomware DarkSide offers its RaaS to affiliates for a percentage of the profits.	[]	[]	[]
13,875	August 2020: DarkSide introduces its ransomware.	[]	[]	[]
13,877	November 2020:	[]	[]	[]
13,879	The group invites other criminals to use its service.	[]	[]	[]
13,880	A DarkSide data leak site is later discovered.	[]	[]	[]
13,881	November 2020:	[]	[]	[]
13,883	December 2020:	[]	[]	[]
13,885	March 2021:	[]	[]	[]
13,886	DarkSide releases version 2.0 of its ransomware with several updates.	[]	[]	[]
13,887	May 2021:	[]	[]	[]
13,888	DarkSide launches the Colonial Pipeline attack.	[]	[]	[]
13,890	In our analysis of DarkSide samples, we saw that phishing, remote desktop protocol (RDP) abuse, and exploiting known vulnerabilities are the tactics used by the group to gain initial access.	[ { "id": 43060, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 49, "end_offset": 57 }, { "id": 43061, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 59, "end_offset": 82 }, { "id": 43062, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 84, "end_offset": 87 }, { "id": 43063, "label": "location", "start_offset": 96, "end_offset": 99 }, { "id": 43064, "label": "location", "start_offset": 133, "end_offset": 136 } ]	[]	[]
13,892	Throughout the reconnaissance and gaining-entry phases, we saw these legitimate tools used for specific purposes: PowerShell: for reconnaissance and persistence Metasploit Framework: for reconnaissance Mimikatz: for reconnaissance BloodHound: for reconnaissance Cobalt Strike: for installation For modern ransomware like DarkSide, gaining initial access no longer immediately leads to ransomware being dropped.	[ { "id": 43066, "label": "location", "start_offset": 31, "end_offset": 34 }, { "id": 43067, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 117, "end_offset": 127 }, { "id": 43068, "label": "location", "start_offset": 148, "end_offset": 151 }, { "id": 43069, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 165, "end_offset": 175 }, { "id": 43070, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 206, "end_offset": 214 }, { "id": 43071, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 235, "end_offset": 245 }, { "id": 43072, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 266, "end_offset": 279 }, { "id": 43073, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 326, "end_offset": 334 } ]	[]	[]
13,894	Lateral movement and privilege escalation Lateral movement is a key discovery phase in the modern ransomware process.	[ { "id": 43077, "label": "location", "start_offset": 18, "end_offset": 21 }, { "id": 43078, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 22, "end_offset": 42 } ]	[]	[]
13,897	The group then continues its lateral movement through the system, eventually using the DC network share to deploy the ransomware to connected machines.	[]	[]	[]
13,898	Some of the known lateral movement methods deployed by DarkSide use PSExec and RDP.	[ { "id": 43087, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 68, "end_offset": 74 }, { "id": 43088, "label": "location", "start_offset": 75, "end_offset": 78 }, { "id": 43089, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 79, "end_offset": 82 } ]	[]	[]
13,900	Exfiltration As is common practice with double extortion ransomware, critical files are exfiltrated prior to the ransomware being launched.	[]	[]	[]
13,901	This is the riskiest step so far in the ransomware execution process, as data exfiltration is more likely to be noticed by the victim organization’s security team.	[]	[]	[]
13,902	It is the last step before the ransomware is dropped, and the attack often speeds up at this point to complete the process before it is stopped.	[]	[]	[]
13,903	For exfiltration, we saw the following tools being used: 7-Zip: a utility used for archiving files in preparation for exfiltration Rclone and Mega client: tools used for exfiltrating files to cloud storage PuTTy: an alternative application used for network file transfer DarkSide uses several Tor-based leak sites to host stolen data.	[ { "id": 48714, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 60, "end_offset": 65 }, { "id": 48716, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 146, "end_offset": 157 }, { "id": 48718, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 298, "end_offset": 301 }, { "id": 48715, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 135, "end_offset": 142 }, { "id": 48717, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 210, "end_offset": 215 }, { "id": 48719, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 276, "end_offset": 285 } ]	[]	[]
13,904	The file-sharing services used by the group for data exfiltration include Mega and PrivatLab.	[ { "id": 48720, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 74, "end_offset": 79 }, { "id": 48721, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 83, "end_offset": 92 } ]	[]	[]
13,905	Execution and impact The execution of the actual ransomware occurs next.	[]	[]	[]
13,906	The DarkSide ransomware shares many similarities with REvil in this step of the process, including the structure of ransom notes and the use of PowerShell to execute a command that deletes shadow copies from the network.	[ { "id": 48722, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 4, "end_offset": 13 }, { "id": 48723, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 54, "end_offset": 59 }, { "id": 48724, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 144, "end_offset": 155 } ]	[]	[]
13,908	In addition to PowerShell, which is used to install and operate the malware itself, the group reportedly uses Certutil and Bitsadmin to download the ransomware.	[ { "id": 48726, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 16, "end_offset": 26 }, { "id": 48728, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 124, "end_offset": 133 }, { "id": 48727, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 111, "end_offset": 120 } ]	[]	[]
13,909	It uses two encryption methods, depending on whether the target operating system is Windows or Linux: A ChaCha20 stream cipher with RSA-4096 is used on Linux, and Salsa20 with RSA-1024 is used on Windows.	[ { "id": 48732, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 163, "end_offset": 171 }, { "id": 48729, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 84, "end_offset": 92 }, { "id": 48730, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 95, "end_offset": 100 }, { "id": 48731, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 152, "end_offset": 157 }, { "id": 48733, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 196, "end_offset": 203 } ]	[]	[]
13,910	The following figure shows a sample ransom note from DarkSide.	[]	[]	[]
13,911	Figure 1.	[]	[]	[]
13,912	A Darkside ransom note	[]	[]	[]
13,913	It is interesting to note that DarkSide’s ransom note is similar to that of Babuk, which might indicate that these two families share a link.	[ { "id": 48734, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 31, "end_offset": 42 }, { "id": 48735, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 76, "end_offset": 81 } ]	[ { "id": 450, "from_id": 48734, "to_id": 48735, "type": "related-to" } ]	[]
13,914	DarkSide ransomware targets	[ { "id": 48737, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 9 } ]	[]	[]
13,915	Based on the group’s Tor leak sites, DarkSide determines whether to pursue targeting a potential victim organization by primarily looking at that organization’s financial records.	[ { "id": 48738, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 37, "end_offset": 46 } ]	[]	[]
13,916	It also uses this information to determine the amount of ransom to demand, with a typical ransom demand amounting to anywhere between US$200,000 and US$2 million.	[]	[]	[]
13,917	Reports say that, based on the leak sites, there are at least 90 victims affected by DarkSide.	[ { "id": 48739, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 85, "end_offset": 93 } ]	[]	[]
13,918	In total, more than 2 TB of stolen data is currently being hosted on DarkSide sites, and 100% of victims’ stolen files are leaked.	[ { "id": 48740, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 69, "end_offset": 77 } ]	[]	[]
13,919	The actors behind Darkside have stated that they avoid targeting companies in certain industries, including healthcare, education, the public sector, and the nonprofit sector.	[ { "id": 48741, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 18, "end_offset": 27 }, { "id": 48744, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 10 } ]	[ { "id": 451, "from_id": 48741, "to_id": 48744, "type": "attributed-to" } ]	[]
13,920	Organizations in manufacturing, finance, and critical infrastructure have been identified in Trend Micro data as targets.	[]	[]	[]
13,921	Based on Trend Micro data, the US is by far DarkSide’s most targeted country, at more than 500 detections, followed by France, Belgium, and Canada.	[ { "id": 48745, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 44, "end_offset": 55 }, { "id": 48748, "label": "location", "start_offset": 127, "end_offset": 134 }, { "id": 48747, "label": "location", "start_offset": 119, "end_offset": 125 }, { "id": 48746, "label": "location", "start_offset": 31, "end_offset": 34 }, { "id": 48749, "label": "location", "start_offset": 140, "end_offset": 146 } ]	[ { "id": 452, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48746, "type": "targets" }, { "id": 455, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48749, "type": "targets" }, { "id": 453, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48747, "type": "targets" }, { "id": 454, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48748, "type": "targets" } ]	[]
13,922	As previously mentioned, DarkSide avoids victimizing companies in CIS countries.	[ { "id": 48750, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 25, "end_offset": 34 }, { "id": 48751, "label": "location", "start_offset": 66, "end_offset": 79 } ]	[ { "id": 456, "from_id": 48750, "to_id": 48751, "type": "related-to" } ]	[]
13,923	Part of the ransomware execution code checks for the geolocation of potential victims to avoid companies in these countries, although the group would likely be aware of the location of a target organization long before the ransomware is executed.	[]	[]	[]
13,924	That the group admittedly spares companies in CIS countries could be a clue to where DarkSide actors are residing.	[ { "id": 48752, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 85, "end_offset": 94 }, { "id": 48753, "label": "location", "start_offset": 46, "end_offset": 59 } ]	[ { "id": 457, "from_id": 48752, "to_id": 48753, "type": "related-to" } ]	[]
13,925	It is possible that they do this to avoid law enforcement action from these countries, since the governments of some of these countries do not persecute criminal acts such as DarkSide’s if they are done on foreign targets.	[ { "id": 48754, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 175, "end_offset": 186 } ]	[]	[]
13,926	After the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide released a statement on one of its leak sites clarifying that the group did not wish to create problems for society and that its goal was simply to make money.	[ { "id": 48755, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 36, "end_offset": 45 } ]	[]	[]
13,927	There is no way to verify this statement, but we know that the group is still quite active.	[]	[]	[]
13,928	As previously mentioned, DarkSide actors announced that they had stolen data from three more victims since the Colonial Pipeline attack.	[ { "id": 43195, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 25, "end_offset": 33 } ]	[]	[]
13,929	MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques	[]	[]	[]
13,930	The following are the MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques associated with DarkSide.	[ { "id": 48756, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 74, "end_offset": 82 } ]	[]	[]
13,931	Conclusion	[]	[]	[]
13,932	Ransomware is an old but persistently evolving threat.	[]	[]	[]
13,933	As demonstrated by the recent activities of DarkSide, modern ransomware has changed in many aspects: bigger targets, more advanced extortion techniques, and farther-reaching consequences beyond the victims themselves.	[ { "id": 43202, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 44, "end_offset": 52 } ]	[]	[]
13,934	Ransomware actors are no longer content with simply locking companies out of their computers and asking for ransom.	[]	[]	[]
13,935	Now they are digging deeper into their victims’ networks and looking for new ways to monetize their activities.	[]	[]	[]
13,936	For example, a compromised cloud server can go through a complete attack life cycle, from the initial compromise to data exfiltration to resale or use for further monetization.	[]	[]	[]
13,937	Compromised enterprise assets are a lucrative commodity on underground markets; cybercriminals are well aware of how to make money from attacking company servers.	[]	[]	[]
13,938	In the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide used double extortion.	[ { "id": 48757, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 34, "end_offset": 43 } ]	[]	[]
13,939	But some ransomware actors have gone even further.	[]	[]	[]
13,940	Jon Clay, Director of Global Threat Communications at Trend Micro, outlines the phases of ransomware:	[ { "id": 48758, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 9 }, { "id": 48759, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 54, "end_offset": 65 } ]	[ { "id": 458, "from_id": 48759, "to_id": 48758, "type": "related-to" } ]	[]
13,941	Phase 1: Just ransomware.	[]	[]	[]
13,942	Encrypt the files, drop the ransom note, and wait for the payment.	[]	[]	[]
13,943	Phase 2: Double extortion.	[]	[]	[]
13,944	Phase 1 + data exfiltration and threatening data release.	[]	[]	[]
13,945	Maze was one of the first documented cases of this.	[ { "id": 48760, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 5 } ]	[]	[]
13,946	Phase 3: Triple extortion.	[]	[]	[]
13,947	Phase 1 + Phase 2 + threatening DDoS.	[]	[]	[]
13,948	SunCrypt, RagnarLocker, and Avaddon were among the first groups documented doing this.	[ { "id": 48764, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 10, "end_offset": 22 }, { "id": 48765, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 8 }, { "id": 48766, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 28, "end_offset": 36 } ]	[]	[]
13,949	Phase 4: Quadruple extortion.	[]	[]	[]
13,950	Phase 1 (+ possibly Phase 2 or Phase 3) + directly emailing the victim’s customer base or having contracted call centers contact customers.	[]	[]	[]
13,951	In fact, as detailed in security reports, DarkSide offers both the DDoS and call center options.	[ { "id": 48767, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 43, "end_offset": 52 } ]	[]	[]
13,952	The group is making quadruple extortion available to its affiliates and showing a clear sign of innovation.	[]	[]	[]
13,953	In cybercrime, there are no copyright or patent laws for tools and techniques.	[]	[]	[]
13,954	Innovation is as much about quickly and completely copying others’ best practices as it is about coming up with new approaches.	[]	[]	[]
13,955	Ransomware will only continue to evolve.	[]	[]	[]
13,956	Organizations therefore need to take the time to put in place an incident response plan focused on the new model of ransomware attacks.	[]	[]	[]
13,957	Unfortunately, some organizations may be putting cybersecurity on the back burner.	[]	[]	[]
13,958	For example, some security experts noted that Colonial Pipeline was using a previously exploited vulnerable version of Microsoft Exchange, among other cybersecurity lapses.	[]	[]	[]
13,959	A successful attack on a company providing critical services will have rippling effects that will harm multiple sectors of society, which is why protecting these services should be a top priority.	[]	[]	[]
13,960	In a US Senate hearing on cybersecurity threats, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio described the strike on Colonial Pipeline as “potentially the most substantial and damaging attack on US critical infrastructure ever.”	[ { "id": 48769, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 49, "end_offset": 68 }, { "id": 48768, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 5, "end_offset": 14 }, { "id": 48770, "label": "location", "start_offset": 72, "end_offset": 77 }, { "id": 48771, "label": "location", "start_offset": 179, "end_offset": 182 } ]	[ { "id": 459, "from_id": 48769, "to_id": 48768, "type": "related-to" }, { "id": 460, "from_id": 48769, "to_id": 48770, "type": "related-to" } ]	[]
13,961	This attack is a call to action for all organizations to harden their networks against attacks and improve their network visibility.	[]	[]	[]
13,962	Trend Micro has a multilayered cybersecurity platform that can help improve your organization’s detection and response against the latest ransomware attacks and improve your organization’s visibility.	[]	[]	[]
13,963	Visit the Trend Micro Vision One™ website for more information.	[]	[]	[]
13,964	Detailed solutions can be found in our knowledge base article on DarkSide ransomware.	[ { "id": 43290, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 65, "end_offset": 73 } ]	[]	[]
13,965	Tags APT & Targeted Attacks \| Ransomware \| Research \| Articles, News, Reports	[]	[]	[]
13,966	We have been collectively saying in our industry for the last 15-20 years that a layered approach to your security stack is a “best practice,” but as with all best practices, these are ideals rather than reality for so many charged with protecting their organizations.	[]	[]	[]
13,967	The vast majority of CISOs are saddled with legacy operating systems and applications, along with a lack of funding.	[]	[]	[]
13,968	For many of those in the more mature sectors who struggle less with resources, such as financial and government, this ideal state has been achieved by buying a large number of feature products for each layer.	[]	[]	[]
13,969	Then, add more and more people to each layer with the hope that they can effectively coordinate their layers to protect, detect, respond and recover from attacks.	[]	[]	[]
13,970	Today’s Challenge	[]	[]	[]
13,971	While this strategy has provided a small level of success, it’s not sustainable and definitely not an option for the remaining 90% of companies with resource challenges.	[]	[]	[]
13,972	Further complicating the issue is the growing scope and scale of attacks today that are successfully targeting the seams between these layers.	[]	[]	[]
13,973	There are many reasons why we are in this overloaded place, drowning in alerts and logs.	[]	[]	[]
13,974	But, there is one cause that we can point to that has become especially problematic to the design and operations of security programs – the focus on the “kill chain.”	[]	[]	[]
13,975	This focus can be effective to simplify and explain the progression of an attack through the different layers.	[]	[]	[]
13,976	However, it doesn’t adequately address the reality of the non-linear nature of attacks.	[]	[]	[]
13,977	It also misses the incredible importance of identifying tactics, techniques, and tools used by global threat actor groups today.	[]	[]	[]
13,978	(Que the MITRE ATT&CK plug)	[]	[]	[]
13,979	Until now.	[]	[]	[]
13,980	ATT&CK “…is a globally-accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques based on real-world observations.”	[]	[]	[]
13,981	ATT&CK enables network defenders and cyber threat intelligence analysts to collaborate through an open community to continuously identify tactics, techniques and tools used by 90+ global threat actor groups to improve their protection and detection.	[]	[]	[]
13,982	Today’s Protection	[]	[]	[]
13,983	Other innovative trends that work hand in hand with ATT&CK is the move to XDR from EDR.	[ { "id": 48772, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 74, "end_offset": 78 }, { "id": 48773, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 83, "end_offset": 86 } ]	[]	[]

13,867

Even the DarkSide actors themselves admit that they just buy access to company networks — they have no idea how access was acquired.

[ { "id": 43011, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 9, "end_offset": 17 }, { "id": 43012, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 52, "end_offset": 56 }, { "id": 43013, "label": "location", "start_offset": 57, "end_offset": 60 } ]

[]

13,869

The DarkSide ransomware DarkSide offers its RaaS to affiliates for a percentage of the profits.

[]

13,875

August 2020: DarkSide introduces its ransomware.

[]

13,877

November 2020:

[]

13,879

The group invites other criminals to use its service.

[]

13,880

A DarkSide data leak site is later discovered.

[]

13,881

November 2020:

[]

13,883

December 2020:

[]

13,885

March 2021:

[]

13,886

DarkSide releases version 2.0 of its ransomware with several updates.

[]

13,887

May 2021:

[]

13,888

DarkSide launches the Colonial Pipeline attack.

[]

13,890

In our analysis of DarkSide samples, we saw that phishing, remote desktop protocol (RDP) abuse, and exploiting known vulnerabilities are the tactics used by the group to gain initial access.

[ { "id": 43060, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 49, "end_offset": 57 }, { "id": 43061, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 59, "end_offset": 82 }, { "id": 43062, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 84, "end_offset": 87 }, { "id": 43063, "label": "location", "start_offset": 96, "end_offset": 99 }, { "id": 43064, "label": "location", "start_offset": 133, "end_offset": 136 } ]

[]

13,892

Throughout the reconnaissance and gaining-entry phases, we saw these legitimate tools used for specific purposes: PowerShell: for reconnaissance and persistence Metasploit Framework: for reconnaissance Mimikatz: for reconnaissance BloodHound: for reconnaissance Cobalt Strike: for installation For modern ransomware like DarkSide, gaining initial access no longer immediately leads to ransomware being dropped.

[ { "id": 43066, "label": "location", "start_offset": 31, "end_offset": 34 }, { "id": 43067, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 117, "end_offset": 127 }, { "id": 43068, "label": "location", "start_offset": 148, "end_offset": 151 }, { "id": 43069, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 165, "end_offset": 175 }, { "id": 43070, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 206, "end_offset": 214 }, { "id": 43071, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 235, "end_offset": 245 }, { "id": 43072, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 266, "end_offset": 279 }, { "id": 43073, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 326, "end_offset": 334 } ]

[]

13,894

Lateral movement and privilege escalation Lateral movement is a key discovery phase in the modern ransomware process.

[ { "id": 43077, "label": "location", "start_offset": 18, "end_offset": 21 }, { "id": 43078, "label": "attack-pattern", "start_offset": 22, "end_offset": 42 } ]

[]

13,897

The group then continues its lateral movement through the system, eventually using the DC network share to deploy the ransomware to connected machines.

[]

13,898

Some of the known lateral movement methods deployed by DarkSide use PSExec and RDP.

[ { "id": 43087, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 68, "end_offset": 74 }, { "id": 43088, "label": "location", "start_offset": 75, "end_offset": 78 }, { "id": 43089, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 79, "end_offset": 82 } ]

[]

13,900

Exfiltration As is common practice with double extortion ransomware, critical files are exfiltrated prior to the ransomware being launched.

[]

13,901

This is the riskiest step so far in the ransomware execution process, as data exfiltration is more likely to be noticed by the victim organization’s security team.

[]

13,902

It is the last step before the ransomware is dropped, and the attack often speeds up at this point to complete the process before it is stopped.

[]

13,903

For exfiltration, we saw the following tools being used: 7-Zip: a utility used for archiving files in preparation for exfiltration Rclone and Mega client: tools used for exfiltrating files to cloud storage PuTTy: an alternative application used for network file transfer DarkSide uses several Tor-based leak sites to host stolen data.

[ { "id": 48714, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 60, "end_offset": 65 }, { "id": 48716, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 146, "end_offset": 157 }, { "id": 48718, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 298, "end_offset": 301 }, { "id": 48715, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 135, "end_offset": 142 }, { "id": 48717, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 210, "end_offset": 215 }, { "id": 48719, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 276, "end_offset": 285 } ]

[]

13,904

The file-sharing services used by the group for data exfiltration include Mega and PrivatLab.

[ { "id": 48720, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 74, "end_offset": 79 }, { "id": 48721, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 83, "end_offset": 92 } ]

[]

13,905

Execution and impact The execution of the actual ransomware occurs next.

[]

13,906

The DarkSide ransomware shares many similarities with REvil in this step of the process, including the structure of ransom notes and the use of PowerShell to execute a command that deletes shadow copies from the network.

[ { "id": 48722, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 4, "end_offset": 13 }, { "id": 48723, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 54, "end_offset": 59 }, { "id": 48724, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 144, "end_offset": 155 } ]

[]

13,908

In addition to PowerShell, which is used to install and operate the malware itself, the group reportedly uses Certutil and Bitsadmin to download the ransomware.

[ { "id": 48726, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 16, "end_offset": 26 }, { "id": 48728, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 124, "end_offset": 133 }, { "id": 48727, "label": "tools", "start_offset": 111, "end_offset": 120 } ]

[]

13,909

It uses two encryption methods, depending on whether the target operating system is Windows or Linux: A ChaCha20 stream cipher with RSA-4096 is used on Linux, and Salsa20 with RSA-1024 is used on Windows.

[ { "id": 48732, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 163, "end_offset": 171 }, { "id": 48729, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 84, "end_offset": 92 }, { "id": 48730, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 95, "end_offset": 100 }, { "id": 48731, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 152, "end_offset": 157 }, { "id": 48733, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 196, "end_offset": 203 } ]

[]

13,910

The following figure shows a sample ransom note from DarkSide.

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13,911

Figure 1.

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13,912

A Darkside ransom note

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13,913

It is interesting to note that DarkSide’s ransom note is similar to that of Babuk, which might indicate that these two families share a link.

[ { "id": 48734, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 31, "end_offset": 42 }, { "id": 48735, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 76, "end_offset": 81 } ]

[ { "id": 450, "from_id": 48734, "to_id": 48735, "type": "related-to" } ]

[]

13,914

DarkSide ransomware targets

[ { "id": 48737, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 9 } ]

[]

13,915

Based on the group’s Tor leak sites, DarkSide determines whether to pursue targeting a potential victim organization by primarily looking at that organization’s financial records.

[ { "id": 48738, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 37, "end_offset": 46 } ]

[]

13,916

It also uses this information to determine the amount of ransom to demand, with a typical ransom demand amounting to anywhere between US$200,000 and US$2 million.

[]

13,917

Reports say that, based on the leak sites, there are at least 90 victims affected by DarkSide.

[ { "id": 48739, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 85, "end_offset": 93 } ]

[]

13,918

In total, more than 2 TB of stolen data is currently being hosted on DarkSide sites, and 100% of victims’ stolen files are leaked.

[ { "id": 48740, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 69, "end_offset": 77 } ]

[]

13,919

The actors behind Darkside have stated that they avoid targeting companies in certain industries, including healthcare, education, the public sector, and the nonprofit sector.

[ { "id": 48741, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 18, "end_offset": 27 }, { "id": 48744, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 10 } ]

[ { "id": 451, "from_id": 48741, "to_id": 48744, "type": "attributed-to" } ]

[]

13,920

Organizations in manufacturing, finance, and critical infrastructure have been identified in Trend Micro data as targets.

[]

13,921

Based on Trend Micro data, the US is by far DarkSide’s most targeted country, at more than 500 detections, followed by France, Belgium, and Canada.

[ { "id": 48745, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 44, "end_offset": 55 }, { "id": 48748, "label": "location", "start_offset": 127, "end_offset": 134 }, { "id": 48747, "label": "location", "start_offset": 119, "end_offset": 125 }, { "id": 48746, "label": "location", "start_offset": 31, "end_offset": 34 }, { "id": 48749, "label": "location", "start_offset": 140, "end_offset": 146 } ]

[ { "id": 452, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48746, "type": "targets" }, { "id": 455, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48749, "type": "targets" }, { "id": 453, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48747, "type": "targets" }, { "id": 454, "from_id": 48745, "to_id": 48748, "type": "targets" } ]

[]

13,922

As previously mentioned, DarkSide avoids victimizing companies in CIS countries.

[ { "id": 48750, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 25, "end_offset": 34 }, { "id": 48751, "label": "location", "start_offset": 66, "end_offset": 79 } ]

[ { "id": 456, "from_id": 48750, "to_id": 48751, "type": "related-to" } ]

[]

13,923

Part of the ransomware execution code checks for the geolocation of potential victims to avoid companies in these countries, although the group would likely be aware of the location of a target organization long before the ransomware is executed.

[]

13,924

That the group admittedly spares companies in CIS countries could be a clue to where DarkSide actors are residing.

[ { "id": 48752, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 85, "end_offset": 94 }, { "id": 48753, "label": "location", "start_offset": 46, "end_offset": 59 } ]

[ { "id": 457, "from_id": 48752, "to_id": 48753, "type": "related-to" } ]

[]

13,925

It is possible that they do this to avoid law enforcement action from these countries, since the governments of some of these countries do not persecute criminal acts such as DarkSide’s if they are done on foreign targets.

[ { "id": 48754, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 175, "end_offset": 186 } ]

[]

13,926

After the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide released a statement on one of its leak sites clarifying that the group did not wish to create problems for society and that its goal was simply to make money.

[ { "id": 48755, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 36, "end_offset": 45 } ]

[]

13,927

There is no way to verify this statement, but we know that the group is still quite active.

[]

13,928

As previously mentioned, DarkSide actors announced that they had stolen data from three more victims since the Colonial Pipeline attack.

[ { "id": 43195, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 25, "end_offset": 33 } ]

[]

13,929

MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques

[]

13,930

The following are the MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques associated with DarkSide.

[ { "id": 48756, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 74, "end_offset": 82 } ]

[]

13,931

Conclusion

[]

13,932

Ransomware is an old but persistently evolving threat.

[]

13,933

As demonstrated by the recent activities of DarkSide, modern ransomware has changed in many aspects: bigger targets, more advanced extortion techniques, and farther-reaching consequences beyond the victims themselves.

[ { "id": 43202, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 44, "end_offset": 52 } ]

[]

13,934

Ransomware actors are no longer content with simply locking companies out of their computers and asking for ransom.

[]

13,935

Now they are digging deeper into their victims’ networks and looking for new ways to monetize their activities.

[]

13,936

For example, a compromised cloud server can go through a complete attack life cycle, from the initial compromise to data exfiltration to resale or use for further monetization.

[]

13,937

Compromised enterprise assets are a lucrative commodity on underground markets; cybercriminals are well aware of how to make money from attacking company servers.

[]

13,938

In the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide used double extortion.

[ { "id": 48757, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 34, "end_offset": 43 } ]

[]

13,939

But some ransomware actors have gone even further.

[]

13,940

Jon Clay, Director of Global Threat Communications at Trend Micro, outlines the phases of ransomware:

[ { "id": 48758, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 9 }, { "id": 48759, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 54, "end_offset": 65 } ]

[ { "id": 458, "from_id": 48759, "to_id": 48758, "type": "related-to" } ]

[]

13,941

Phase 1: Just ransomware.

[]

13,942

Encrypt the files, drop the ransom note, and wait for the payment.

[]

13,943

Phase 2: Double extortion.

[]

13,944

Phase 1 + data exfiltration and threatening data release.

[]

13,945

Maze was one of the first documented cases of this.

[ { "id": 48760, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 5 } ]

[]

13,946

Phase 3: Triple extortion.

[]

13,947

Phase 1 + Phase 2 + threatening DDoS.

[]

13,948

SunCrypt, RagnarLocker, and Avaddon were among the first groups documented doing this.

[ { "id": 48764, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 10, "end_offset": 22 }, { "id": 48765, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 0, "end_offset": 8 }, { "id": 48766, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 28, "end_offset": 36 } ]

[]

13,949

Phase 4: Quadruple extortion.

[]

13,950

Phase 1 (+ possibly Phase 2 or Phase 3) + directly emailing the victim’s customer base or having contracted call centers contact customers.

[]

13,951

In fact, as detailed in security reports, DarkSide offers both the DDoS and call center options.

[ { "id": 48767, "label": "threat-actor", "start_offset": 43, "end_offset": 52 } ]

[]

13,952

The group is making quadruple extortion available to its affiliates and showing a clear sign of innovation.

[]

13,953

In cybercrime, there are no copyright or patent laws for tools and techniques.

[]

13,954

Innovation is as much about quickly and completely copying others’ best practices as it is about coming up with new approaches.

[]

13,955

Ransomware will only continue to evolve.

[]

13,956

Organizations therefore need to take the time to put in place an incident response plan focused on the new model of ransomware attacks.

[]

13,957

Unfortunately, some organizations may be putting cybersecurity on the back burner.

[]

13,958

For example, some security experts noted that Colonial Pipeline was using a previously exploited vulnerable version of Microsoft Exchange, among other cybersecurity lapses.

[]

13,959

A successful attack on a company providing critical services will have rippling effects that will harm multiple sectors of society, which is why protecting these services should be a top priority.

[]

13,960

In a US Senate hearing on cybersecurity threats, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio described the strike on Colonial Pipeline as “potentially the most substantial and damaging attack on US critical infrastructure ever.”

[ { "id": 48769, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 49, "end_offset": 68 }, { "id": 48768, "label": "identity", "start_offset": 5, "end_offset": 14 }, { "id": 48770, "label": "location", "start_offset": 72, "end_offset": 77 }, { "id": 48771, "label": "location", "start_offset": 179, "end_offset": 182 } ]

[ { "id": 459, "from_id": 48769, "to_id": 48768, "type": "related-to" }, { "id": 460, "from_id": 48769, "to_id": 48770, "type": "related-to" } ]

[]

13,961

This attack is a call to action for all organizations to harden their networks against attacks and improve their network visibility.

[]

13,962

Trend Micro has a multilayered cybersecurity platform that can help improve your organization’s detection and response against the latest ransomware attacks and improve your organization’s visibility.

[]

13,963

Visit the Trend Micro Vision One™ website for more information.

[]

13,964

Detailed solutions can be found in our knowledge base article on DarkSide ransomware.

[ { "id": 43290, "label": "malware", "start_offset": 65, "end_offset": 73 } ]

[]

13,965

Tags APT & Targeted Attacks | Ransomware | Research | Articles, News, Reports

[]

13,966

We have been collectively saying in our industry for the last 15-20 years that a layered approach to your security stack is a “best practice,” but as with all best practices, these are ideals rather than reality for so many charged with protecting their organizations.

[]

13,967

The vast majority of CISOs are saddled with legacy operating systems and applications, along with a lack of funding.

[]

13,968

For many of those in the more mature sectors who struggle less with resources, such as financial and government, this ideal state has been achieved by buying a large number of feature products for each layer.

[]

13,969

Then, add more and more people to each layer with the hope that they can effectively coordinate their layers to protect, detect, respond and recover from attacks.

[]

13,970

Today’s Challenge

[]

13,971

While this strategy has provided a small level of success, it’s not sustainable and definitely not an option for the remaining 90% of companies with resource challenges.

[]

13,972

Further complicating the issue is the growing scope and scale of attacks today that are successfully targeting the seams between these layers.

[]

13,973

There are many reasons why we are in this overloaded place, drowning in alerts and logs.

[]

13,974

But, there is one cause that we can point to that has become especially problematic to the design and operations of security programs – the focus on the “kill chain.”

[]

13,975

This focus can be effective to simplify and explain the progression of an attack through the different layers.

[]

13,976

However, it doesn’t adequately address the reality of the non-linear nature of attacks.

[]

13,977

It also misses the incredible importance of identifying tactics, techniques, and tools used by global threat actor groups today.

[]

13,978

(Que the MITRE ATT&CK plug)

[]

13,979

Until now.

[]

13,980

ATT&CK “…is a globally-accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques based on real-world observations.”

[]

13,981

ATT&CK enables network defenders and cyber threat intelligence analysts to collaborate through an open community to continuously identify tactics, techniques and tools used by 90+ global threat actor groups to improve their protection and detection.

[]

13,982

Today’s Protection

[]

13,983

Other innovative trends that work hand in hand with ATT&CK is the move to XDR from EDR.

[ { "id": 48772, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 74, "end_offset": 78 }, { "id": 48773, "label": "SOFTWARE", "start_offset": 83, "end_offset": 86 } ]

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