Hawk Technology in the US Falls Victim to Ransomware Attack by Play Group

Hawk Technology in the U.S. has fallen victim to a ransomware attack by the Play group, raising serious concerns about cybersecurity preparedness. Ransomware attacks continue to escalate, targeting businesses and critical infrastructure globally.

You Should Know:

1. How Ransomware Works

Ransomware encrypts files on a victim’s system, demanding payment for decryption. Common entry points include:
– Phishing emails
– Exploited vulnerabilities (e.g., unpatched software)
– Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) brute-forcing

Commands to Check for Ransomware Indicators on Linux:

 Check for suspicious processes 
ps aux | grep -E '(crypt|ransom|encrypt)'

Look for unexpected file modifications 
find / -type f -name ".encrypted" -o -name ".locked"

Monitor network connections for ransomware C2 servers 
netstat -tulnp | grep -E '(tor|onion)' 

2. Mitigation Steps

• Patch Management: Ensure all systems are updated.

  Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) 
  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  
  Windows (PowerShell) 
  Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force 
  Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot 
  

• Disable RDP if Unused:

  Linux (Stop RDP service) 
  sudo systemctl stop xrdp
  
  Windows (Disable RDP via Registry) 
  reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server" /v fDenyTSConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f 
  

• Backup Critical Data:

  Linux (Compress and encrypt backups) 
  tar -czvf backup.tar.gz /important_data 
  gpg -c backup.tar.gz 
  

3. Incident Response Commands

• Isolate Infected Systems:

  Linux (Block network access) 
  sudo iptables -A INPUT -s <infected_IP> -j DROP
  
  Windows (Disconnect NIC via PowerShell) 
  Disable-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet" -Confirm:$false 
  

• Analyze Ransomware Notes:

  Search for ransom notes 
  find / -type f -name "README.txt" -o -name "<em>HOW_TO_DECRYPT</em>" 
  

4. Recovery Steps

• Use Decryption Tools (If Available):
  Check No More Ransom for free decryption tools.

• Forensic Analysis with Sleuth Kit (Linux):

  sudo apt install sleuthkit -y 
  fls -r /dev/sda1 > files_list.txt 
  

What Undercode Say:

Ransomware remains a critical threat, and proactive defense is essential. Regular backups, network segmentation, and strict access controls can minimize damage. Organizations must adopt a zero-trust approach, monitor logs for anomalies, and train employees against phishing.

Expected Output:

• Detection of suspicious processes.
• Identification of encrypted files.
• Network isolation of compromised systems.
• Successful restoration from clean backups.

Reference:

• Ransomware Attack on Hawk Technology
• No More Ransom Project

References:

Reported By: Hendryadrian Hawktechnology – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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