Greater Napanee Targeted by Ransomware Group

Greater Napanee has been targeted by the Hunters International ransomware group. The town said in a release that its systems were recently hit by what officials are calling a cyber security incident. The town shut down access to its systems to minimize any impact and maintain integrity, its officials said, and added that it has engaged a team of experts to investigate the incident and has notified law enforcement.

Greater Napanee is a town in southeastern Ontario, Canada, approximately 45 kilometers west of Kingston and the county seat of Lennox and Addington County. It is located on the eastern end of the Bay of Quinte.

Hunters International: A New Threat

Hunters International, a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group, emerged in Q3 of 2023 after the discovery of source code bearing resemblances to the infamous Hive ransomware strain. In October 2023, a security researcher's analysis of the ransomware used by Hunters revealed significant code overlaps with Hive ransomware. Subsequent analysis by Bitdefender came to the same findings, leading researchers to conclude that Hive operators have handed off their malicious tool to another threat actor. Despite this, Hunters International has denied any ties to the Hive operation.

Modus Operandi of Hunters International

Intelligence suggests that Hunters International ransomware primarily aims to exfiltrate target data and extort victims with ransom demands for its return. One reported incident involved a plastic surgery clinic in the US, where approximately 248,000 files, including patient names and addresses, were exfiltrated. The ransomware encrypts files with the ".LOCKED" extension and leaves "Contact Us.txt" files in directories, instructing victims on how to initiate negotiation on the dark web.

Successful exploitation by Hunters International typically results in significant data exfiltration prior to issuing a ransom demand, often tailored to the perceived value of the compromised organization.