HiveLeak

The ransomware was initially discovered in June 2021, specifically targeting Linux servers, providing faulty decryption tools to victims who pay the ransom, and using double extortion techniques against victims. Hive relies on common initial compromise methods, including vulnerable RDP servers, compromised VPN credentials, and phishing emails with malicious attachments. During the encryption process, affected files are renamed with a similar pattern: original filename, random character string, and the ‘.hive’ extension. Once encryption is complete, ransom notes are dropped into compromised folders named “HOW_TO_DECRYPT.txt”. The .txt file warns victims against shutting down or rebooting connected computers, leading to permanent data loss. Should the victims refuse to meet the group’s demands, the group published a hidden service (darknet) website called HiveLeaks, which displays entries including stolen data.