Threats Tagged 'storm-2697'

The Gentlemen is a financially motivated ransomware group operating since July 2025 using a Ransomware-as-a-Service model with dual-extortion tactics. They exfiltrate sensitive data before encrypting systems, targeting Windows, Linux, and ESXi environments. The group focuses heavily on preparation before encryption, using legitimate administrative tools like PowerRun.exe for privilege escalation, and establishing persistence through multiple mechanisms including registry modifications, scheduled tasks, and autostart configurations. They disable security tools, delete logs, terminate database and backup services, and use XChaCha20 and Curve25519 encryption. Primarily targeting medium-to-large organizations in the Asia-Pacific region, their activity has increased by 2,100% compared to typical levels. Victims receive ransom notes with approximately 10-day deadlines threatening to publish stolen data on leak sites if demands are not met.