Unveiling the Underground Team: A Closer Look at the Ransomware Attack on Y. Hata & Co.

Incident Date:

May 4, 2024

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Overview

Title

Unveiling the Underground Team: A Closer Look at the Ransomware Attack on Y. Hata & Co.

Victim

Y. HATA & CO. LTD

Attacker

Underground Team

Location

Honolulu, USA

Hawaii, USA

First Reported

May 4, 2024

Analysis of the Ransomware Attack on Y. Hata & Co. by Underground Team

Company Profile

Y. Hata & Co. Ltd., a prominent foodservice distributor based in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been a cornerstone in the local food industry since 1913. With a workforce of 201 to 500 employees, the company is known for its dedication to community and educational initiatives, particularly in supporting culinary education and local economic development. This family-owned business stands out for its extensive history and commitment to quality and community service.

Details of the Ransomware Attack

The Underground Team, a cybercriminal group, targeted Y. Hata & Co. with a sophisticated ransomware attack, leading to the exfiltration of approximately 55.9 GB of sensitive data. The compromised data included confidential agreements, financial records, employee personal and tax information, customer databases, and disturbing evidence of sanitary violations. This breach not only exposed critical business and personal information but also posed significant reputational risks due to the public release of the data.

Ransomware Group Profile

The Underground Team ransomware is known for its robust 64-bit GUI and employs a variety of commands to execute its attacks, including the deletion of backups and alteration of system settings. This group distinguishes itself through the selective encryption of files and the extensive use of API functions to identify system volumes, which complicates mitigation and recovery efforts.

Potential Infection Vectors

The likely vector for this attack was a phishing campaign, a common yet effective tactic. The attackers possibly used deceptive emails with malicious attachments or links to compromised websites, masquerading as legitimate communications. Such tactics prey on less stringent security protocols and employee awareness, areas where Y. Hata & Co. might have been vulnerable.

Sources

Recent Ransomware Attacks

The Recent Ransomware Attacks (RRA) site acts as a watchtower, providing you with near real-time ransomware tracking of attacks, groups and their victims. Given threat actors’ overarching, lucrative success so far, ransomware attacks have become the most ubiquitous, and financially and informationally impactful cyber threat to businesses and organizations today.

The site’s data is generated based on hosting choices of real-world threat actors, and a handful of other trackers. While sanitization efforts have been taken, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of the data. Attack updates will be made as source data is reported by reputable sources. By viewing, accessing, or using RRA you acknowledge you are doing so at your own risk.