Deadliest Ransomware Groups in the World
Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and cyber-criminals are constantly coming up with new techniques to target their prey. These attacks are not just harmful to individuals or organizations – they can have drastic consequences on the global economy.
Here’s a rundown of the deadliest ransomware groups in the world:
- REvil
REvil is a group of Russian-speaking cyber-criminals, also known as Sodinokibi. They rose to prominence in 2019, and their primary targets are large corporations. They use sophisticated techniques to penetrate an organization’s network and demand large sums of money in exchange for their data. They have been responsible for some of the largest ransomware attacks in history, such as the attack on meat-processing giant JBS earlier this year.
- Conti
Conti is another Russian-speaking group that targets large corporations. They use a double-extortion method, where they steal sensitive data before encrypting it and threaten to release it to the public if the victims fail to pay the ransom. They were responsible for the attack on Ireland’s Health Services Executive (HSE) in May 2021, which brought the country’s healthcare system to a standstill.
- DarkSide
DarkSide is a relatively new group that emerged in August 2020. They are believed to be Eastern European, and their targets are mainly large corporations in the United States. DarkSide claims to donate a portion of the ransom they receive to charities, although this has been met with skepticism as it could be a ploy to gain public sympathy.
- Maze
The Maze group was active from 2019 to 2020 and was responsible for some of the biggest attacks that hit the world. They used to publish stolen data of companies that refused to pay the ransom on the dark web. They are believed to have disbanded in 2020, and some of their members have reportedly joined other groups.
- Ryuk
Ryuk is another Russian-speaking group that targets organizations with deep pockets. They are known for their patience and attention to detail, as they conduct extensive reconnaissance before launching an attack. Ryuk usually operates through software vulnerabilities and remote desktop protocols (RDP). They were responsible for the attack on the US healthcare provider Universal Health Services (UHS) in 2020.
