August 25, 2021
LockBit 2.0, AvosLocker, Hive ransomware and Hello Kitty ransomware may be the four new gangs that could prove to be the next major ransomware threat, security researchers say.
Researchers from Palo Alto Networks have described four groups of ransomware gangs that came into the spotlight in recent months.
The first on the list is LockBit 2.0, a recently revised Raas that has existed since 2009 but gained prominence during this summer. According to researchers, LockBit 2.0 has compromised 52 organizations around the world since June, when it was revised.
Next on the list is AvosLocker ransomware which appeared in July and offered RaaS service schemes where operators take care of ransom negotiations.
AvosLocker has compromised several organizations around the world, including law firms both in the U.S. and in the U.K. While the AvosLocker gang charges between $50,000 and $75,000, it uses Monero, a cryptocurrency that should be anonymous as a means of payment, in contrast to other ransomware gangs that use Bitcoin.
Hive ransomware was first seen active in June 2021 and has already claimed 28 victims, some of whom were healthcare providers.
Hello Kitty ransomware first appeared in December 2020 and targeted primarily Windows systems. Now, researchers have identified a new version of Hello Kitty, which targets Linux systems and opens a completely new platform for cybercriminals.
For more information, read the original story in ZDNet.
