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Updated August 15, 2023, 2:30 p.m. ET
Once again, Clop has followed through on its threats. As of the time of writing, Clop has published what they claim to be the full data of eight organizations via torrent. However, there have been no new leaks from previously named companies, nor have any new companies been added to the ransom list. It’s possible that will change as events unfold.
A couple things to note about this:
As always, we’ll continue to monitor this situation. We’ll provide updates here as this campaign continues.
In May 2023, the Clop ransomware group exploited a critical zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2023-34362) affecting file transfer software MOVEit. This tactic has become a trend for Clop: targeting commonly used—albeit susceptible—file transfer providers to exfiltrate data that can be used to extort companies.
For the last three months, we’ve watched closely as the Clop ransomware group worked through its ransom list, naming and shaming victims—and leaking their data. To date, they’ve released the names of roughly 260 organizations they’ve exploited through the MOVEit file transfer vulnerability. The affected organizations span the globe and multiple industries. Clop has also made good on its threats when companies decline to negotiate, leaking data belonging to many of the named organizations.
Unfortunately, this fiasco is set to continue.
In this campaign, Clop took the rather unorthodox method of requesting impacted companies contact them to negotiate ransoms, rather than the typical approach of making their demands via a ransom note. Clop has now claimed that any remaining named companies that have failed to contact them would have their data leaked on August 15, 2023.
On August 10, 2023, Clop released a statement to their data-leak website, Clop Leaks, clarifying their next steps following the MOVEit vulnerability exploitation.
Figure 1: Post made to Clop leaks on August 10, 2023
The post exposes that despite the high-profile nature of the attack, some impacted companies have still failed to contact Clop to negotiate payment of a ransom. There are a number of reasons this could be:
Whatever the case, it’s likely that many organizations’ security teams will be busy on August 15, 2023.
Clop has recently shifted tactics multiple times to identify and prompt any outstanding organizations that have not contacted them to negotiate a ransom. It’s possible that the latest statement represents Clop’s final attempt to solicit payments from victims who have yet to pay the ransom.
These changes in tactics have included:
It is also worth noting that some companies have been named as Clop victims, but their full data has not been leaked yet. For example, Clop often claims to have stolen multiple terabytes of data but only leaks a small portion of that amount. There have also been instances where no data was leaked, even weeks after Clop posted victims. As the ransom deadline for August 15, 2023, approaches, it is likely that we will see data being leaked for many of these companies.
It’s possible that Clop previously had difficulty leaking all the data for its victims due to challenges in storing large data breaches on the dark web. However, it is highly likely that, in this instance, the stolen data will be shared en masse. We’ve identified at least one case where Clop leaked 52GB of data via a single .ZIP file in a torrent. If this becomes the norm, it could significantly increase the cyber risk for companies named by Clop.
It is also likely the group considers some data too valuable to give away for free. We have also identified instances where the group offered to sell stolen data to anyone willing to pay.
In our previous blog on Clop, we outlined several useful steps to minimize the risks associated with the incident. These steps included evaluating the risk, updating the MOVEit software, and considering alternative file transfer software.
Other prudent steps to take ahead of August 15, 2023, are as follows:
To stay off the next ransom list, be sure to keep a close eye on the latest news and be prepared to act. If you do hear of a vulnerability, it is essential to work closely with security and intelligence providers to ensure there hasn’t been any exfiltration of your sensitive data.
If you have been affected, performing a thorough post-compromise analysis can help identify what has been stolen, allowing you to assess the potential impact and take appropriate measures.
Keep in mind that entering negotiations with ransomware groups can be dangerous. If an agreement is not reached, these groups may retaliate by making an example out of the victims by leaking sensitive documents, publicly posting ransom negotiations, or naming and shaming victims on their leak site. In some cases, victims may engage in negotiations simply to buy time, as ransomware groups like Clop require time to analyze a company and its assets.
It is also important to note that ransomware groups may claim to delete all stolen data after a ransom is paid, but there is no way to confirm that they will follow through with their promise.
To safeguard against ransomware attacks, it is imperative to stay proactive, promptly address any vulnerabilities. By fortifying your defenses and staying vigilant, you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim of bad actors’ insidious moves.
At ReliaQuest, we understand the importance of staying one step ahead of ransomware campaigns. That’s why our security operations platform, GreyMatter, uses advanced detections we’ve specifically designed by experts to identify vulnerability exploitations such as those used by Clop.
GreyMatter automates the high-time, low-brain activities of your security teams, leaving them free to focus on strategic improvements to your security posture that can help you better defend against ransomware.
Get a live demo of our security operations platform, GreyMatter, and learn how you can improve visibility, reduce complexity, and manage risk in your organization.