The Hunters International Ransomware Group Strikes Toyota Brazil

Background

The Hunters International ransomware group has reportedly compromised the Brazilian branch of Toyota. The breach allegedly led to the exfiltration of 169.4 GB of data, totaling 110,312 files. Toyota established Toyota Brazil in 1958. It rented land in Sao Paulo, and in May of the following year, the Bandeirante, Toyota's first overseas production vehicle, was born.

Emergence of Hunters International

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

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.