Microsoft Threat Intelligence published a detailed report on Storm-1175, a China-based financially motivated group that deploys Medusa ransomware at extreme speed - sometimes moving from initial access to full ransomware deployment within 24 hours. The group exploits internet-facing systems using a mix of zero-day and recently disclosed (n-day) vulnerabilities, having weaponized over 16 flaws across 10 products since 2023. Two vulnerabilities were exploited as zero-days a full week before public disclosure. Recent targets include healthcare, education, finance, and professional services organizations in the US, UK, and Australia. Their playbook: exploit a web-facing flaw, create persistence via new accounts and web shells, steal credentials with Mimikatz, disable Defender via registry modifications, exfiltrate data with Rclone, then deploy Medusa across the network.
Google moved its AI-powered ransomware detection for Google Drive from beta to general availability, enabled by default for all paid Workspace users. When ransomware encrypts files on a synced desktop, Drive immediately pauses syncing to protect cloud copies, alerts both the user and IT admins, and offers bulk file restoration to roll back to pre-infection versions. Google says the GA model catches 14 times more infections than the beta, covering a wider range of encryption patterns at faster detection speeds.
One group, four major compromises, nine days. TeamPCP started by backdooring Aqua Security's Trivy vulnerability scanner on March 19 - then used the stolen CI/CD credentials to poison LiteLLM, Checkmarx tools, and Telnyx one after another. Each compromised tool handed them the keys to the next target. They've now partnered with the Vect ransomware gang to turn stolen access into extortion.
TrustStrike Labs