Cyble - Ransomware Attacks April 2025: Qilin Emerges from Chaos
Summary:
Global ransomware attacks experienced a notable decrease in April 2025, falling to 450 incidents from 564 in March, marking the lowest amount since November 2024. This decline is at least partially attributed to significant shifts within prominent Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) groups, causing affiliates to migrate to new operators. Despite this temporary dip, the overarching trend indicates a continued upward trajectory in ransomware activity. The uncertainty surrounding RansomHub, which went offline at the beginning of April with plans for a return, led to a reshuffling of the top threat actors. Qilin emerged as the most active group with 74 claimed attacks, followed by Akira (70), Play (50), Lynx (31), and NightSpire (24). DragonForce, which claimed to be taking over RansomHub's infrastructure, increased its victim count to 21 this month. RansomHub itself reported only three attacks, all on April 1st, right before its data leak site went offline. Hacktivist groups are also increasingly engaging in ransomware activities.
While ransomware impacted various sectors, software and IT companies were particularly targeted, raising concerns about the increased likelihood of supply chain disruptions. The United States remained the most targeted country, accounting for 52% of global attacks, with Play being the most active group targeting the U.S. Akira was the highest-volume attacker in the UK and Europe. The META region saw RALord and Cicada3301 as leading attackers, while Qilin, Akira, and NightSpire were prominent in the APAC region, with Taiwan being the most targeted country in the region. Australia and New Zealand also experienced 9 claimed attacks. Two new ransomware groups, Silent Team and Gunra, emerged in April, capitalizing on the gap created in ransomware services.
Security Officer Comments:
The observed decrease in global ransomware attacks in April 2025, while seemingly favorable, should be interpreted with caution. The disruption within the well-established RansomHub has created a temporary vacuum, leading to a redistribution of affiliate activity among newer or other prominent groups such as Qilin and Akira. The long-term upward trend in ransomware attacks remains a significant concern, suggesting that this momentary lull is likely to be short-lived as new RaaS leadership solidifies and affiliates find their new home. The growing emergence of hacktivist groups in the ransomware landscape further underscores the expanding ransomware actor pool and the enduring appeal of this financially motivated cybercrime. As ransomware can have a devastating impact on an organization’s operations, it is no surprise that hacktivists are willing to employ it to promote their agenda. However, their noble intentions are somewhat compromised by the extortion aspect of ransomware. The targeting of software and IT companies is particularly concerning due to the potential for widespread downstream supply chain impacts, amplifying the impact of individual breaches at SaaS companies. The continued dominance of the United States as a target highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures enforced by the federal government. The reported incidents, including those affecting critical infrastructure and technology providers, emphasize the critical importance of implementing and consistently adhering to cybersecurity best practices, including vulnerability management, protecting web-facing assets, segmenting networks, ransomware resistant backups, and the adoption of Zero Trust principles, to mitigate the persistent and expanding threat of ransomware.
Suggested Corrections:
Backup your data, system images, and configurations, regularly test them, and keep the backups offline: Ensure that backups are regularly tested and that they are not connected to the business network, as many ransomware variants try to find and encrypt or delete accessible backups. Maintaining current backups offline is critical because if your network data is encrypted with ransomware, your organization can restore systems.
Update and patch systems promptly: This includes maintaining the security of operating systems, applications, and firmware in a timely manner. Consider using a centralized patch management system; use a risk-based assessment strategy to drive your patch management program.
Test your incident response plan: There's nothing that shows the gaps in plans more than testing them. Run through some core questions and use those to build an incident response plan: Are you able to sustain business operations without access to certain systems? For how long? Would you turn off your manufacturing operations if business systems such as billing were offline?
Check your security team's work: Use a 3rd party pen tester to test the security of your systems and your ability to defend against a sophisticated attack. Many ransomware criminals are aggressive and sophisticated and will find the equivalent of unlocked doors.
Segment your networks: There's been a recent shift in ransomware attacks – from stealing data to disrupting operations. It's critically important that your corporate business functions and manufacturing/production operations are separated and that you carefully filter and limit internet access to operational networks, identify links between these networks, and develop workarounds or manual controls to ensure ICS networks can be isolated and continue operating if your corporate network is compromised. Regularly test contingency plans such as manual controls so that safety-critical functions can be maintained during a cyber incident.
Train employees: Email remains the most vulnerable attack vector for organizations. Users should be trained on how to avoid and spot phishing emails. Multi-factor authentication can help prevent malicious access to sensitive services.
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA): External-facing assets that leverage single-factor authentication (SFA) are highly susceptible to brute-forcing attacks, password spraying, or unauthorized remote access using valid (stolen) credentials. Implementing MFA enhances security and adds an extra layer of protection.
Link(s):
https://cyble.com/blog/qilin-tops-april-2025-ransomware-report/
Global ransomware attacks experienced a notable decrease in April 2025, falling to 450 incidents from 564 in March, marking the lowest amount since November 2024. This decline is at least partially attributed to significant shifts within prominent Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) groups, causing affiliates to migrate to new operators. Despite this temporary dip, the overarching trend indicates a continued upward trajectory in ransomware activity. The uncertainty surrounding RansomHub, which went offline at the beginning of April with plans for a return, led to a reshuffling of the top threat actors. Qilin emerged as the most active group with 74 claimed attacks, followed by Akira (70), Play (50), Lynx (31), and NightSpire (24). DragonForce, which claimed to be taking over RansomHub's infrastructure, increased its victim count to 21 this month. RansomHub itself reported only three attacks, all on April 1st, right before its data leak site went offline. Hacktivist groups are also increasingly engaging in ransomware activities.
While ransomware impacted various sectors, software and IT companies were particularly targeted, raising concerns about the increased likelihood of supply chain disruptions. The United States remained the most targeted country, accounting for 52% of global attacks, with Play being the most active group targeting the U.S. Akira was the highest-volume attacker in the UK and Europe. The META region saw RALord and Cicada3301 as leading attackers, while Qilin, Akira, and NightSpire were prominent in the APAC region, with Taiwan being the most targeted country in the region. Australia and New Zealand also experienced 9 claimed attacks. Two new ransomware groups, Silent Team and Gunra, emerged in April, capitalizing on the gap created in ransomware services.
Security Officer Comments:
The observed decrease in global ransomware attacks in April 2025, while seemingly favorable, should be interpreted with caution. The disruption within the well-established RansomHub has created a temporary vacuum, leading to a redistribution of affiliate activity among newer or other prominent groups such as Qilin and Akira. The long-term upward trend in ransomware attacks remains a significant concern, suggesting that this momentary lull is likely to be short-lived as new RaaS leadership solidifies and affiliates find their new home. The growing emergence of hacktivist groups in the ransomware landscape further underscores the expanding ransomware actor pool and the enduring appeal of this financially motivated cybercrime. As ransomware can have a devastating impact on an organization’s operations, it is no surprise that hacktivists are willing to employ it to promote their agenda. However, their noble intentions are somewhat compromised by the extortion aspect of ransomware. The targeting of software and IT companies is particularly concerning due to the potential for widespread downstream supply chain impacts, amplifying the impact of individual breaches at SaaS companies. The continued dominance of the United States as a target highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures enforced by the federal government. The reported incidents, including those affecting critical infrastructure and technology providers, emphasize the critical importance of implementing and consistently adhering to cybersecurity best practices, including vulnerability management, protecting web-facing assets, segmenting networks, ransomware resistant backups, and the adoption of Zero Trust principles, to mitigate the persistent and expanding threat of ransomware.
Suggested Corrections:
Backup your data, system images, and configurations, regularly test them, and keep the backups offline: Ensure that backups are regularly tested and that they are not connected to the business network, as many ransomware variants try to find and encrypt or delete accessible backups. Maintaining current backups offline is critical because if your network data is encrypted with ransomware, your organization can restore systems.
Update and patch systems promptly: This includes maintaining the security of operating systems, applications, and firmware in a timely manner. Consider using a centralized patch management system; use a risk-based assessment strategy to drive your patch management program.
Test your incident response plan: There's nothing that shows the gaps in plans more than testing them. Run through some core questions and use those to build an incident response plan: Are you able to sustain business operations without access to certain systems? For how long? Would you turn off your manufacturing operations if business systems such as billing were offline?
Check your security team's work: Use a 3rd party pen tester to test the security of your systems and your ability to defend against a sophisticated attack. Many ransomware criminals are aggressive and sophisticated and will find the equivalent of unlocked doors.
Segment your networks: There's been a recent shift in ransomware attacks – from stealing data to disrupting operations. It's critically important that your corporate business functions and manufacturing/production operations are separated and that you carefully filter and limit internet access to operational networks, identify links between these networks, and develop workarounds or manual controls to ensure ICS networks can be isolated and continue operating if your corporate network is compromised. Regularly test contingency plans such as manual controls so that safety-critical functions can be maintained during a cyber incident.
Train employees: Email remains the most vulnerable attack vector for organizations. Users should be trained on how to avoid and spot phishing emails. Multi-factor authentication can help prevent malicious access to sensitive services.
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA): External-facing assets that leverage single-factor authentication (SFA) are highly susceptible to brute-forcing attacks, password spraying, or unauthorized remote access using valid (stolen) credentials. Implementing MFA enhances security and adds an extra layer of protection.
Link(s):
https://cyble.com/blog/qilin-tops-april-2025-ransomware-report/