Ransomware actor exploited RMM to access multiple organizations; Sophos EDR blocked encryption on customer’s network

Sophos MDR recently responded to a targeted attack involving a Managed Service Provider (MSP). In this incident, a threat actor gained access to the MSP’s remote monitoring and management (RMM) tool, SimpleHelp, and then used it to deploy DragonForce ransomware across multiple endpoints. The attackers also exfiltrated sensitive data, leveraging a double extortion tactic to pressure victims into paying the ransom.

Sophos MDR has medium confidence the threat actor exploited a chain of vulnerabilities that were released in January 2025:

CVE-2024-57727: Multiple path traversal vulnerabilities
CVE-2024-57728: Arbitrary file upload vulnerability
CVE-2024-57726: Privilege escalation vulnerability
DragonForce
DragonForce ransomware is an advanced and competitive ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) brand that first emerged in mid-2023. As discussed in recent research from Sophos Counter Threat Unit (CTU), DragonForce began efforts in March to rebrand itself as a “cartel” and shift to a distributed affiliate branding model.

Coinciding with this effort to appeal to a wider range of affiliates, DragonForce recently garnered attention in the threat landscape for claiming to “take over” the infrastructure of RansomHub. Reports also suggest that well-known ransomware affiliates, including Scattered Spider (UNC3944) who was formerly a RansomHub affiliate, have been using DragonForce in attacks targeting multiple large retail chains in the UK and the US.

The incident
Sophos MDR was alerted to the incident by detection of a suspicious installation of a SimpleHelp installer file. The installer was pushed via a legitimate SimpleHelp RMM instance, hosted and operated by the MSP for their clients. The attacker also used their access through the MSP’s RMM instance to gather information on multiple customer estates managed by the MSP, including collecting device names and configuration, users, and network connections.

One client of the MSP was enrolled with Sophos MDR and had Sophos XDR endpoint protection deployed. Through a combination of behavioral and malware detection and blocking by Sophos endpoint protection and MDR actions to shut down attacker access to the network, thwarting the ransomware and double extortion attempt on that customer’s network. However, the MSP and clients that were not using Sophos MDR were impacted by both the ransomware and data exfiltration. The MSP engaged Sophos Rapid Response to provide digital forensics and incident response on their environment.

The DragonForce ransomware operation successfully breached a managed service provider and used its SimpleHelp remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform to steal data and deploy encryptors on downstream customers' systems.

Sophos was brought in to investigate the attack and believe the threat actors exploited a chain of older SimpleHelp vulnerabilities tracked as CVE-2024-57727, CVE-2024-57728, and CVE-2024-57726 to breach the system.

SimpleHelp is a commercial remote support and access tool commonly used by MSPs to manage systems and deploy software across customer networks.

The report by Sophos says that the threat actors first used SimpleHelp to perform reconnaissance on customer systems, such as collecting information about the MSP's customers, including device names and configuration, users, and network connections.

The threat actors then attempted to steal data and deploy decryptors on customer networks, which were blocked on one of the networks using Sophos endpoint protection. However, the other customers were not so lucky, with devices encrypted and data stolen for double-extortion attacks.

Sophos has shared IOCs related to this attack to help organizations better defend their networks.

MSPs have long been a valuable target for ransomware gangs, as a single breach can lead to attacks on multiple companies. Some ransomware affiliates have specialized in tools commonly used by MSPs, such as SimpleHelp, ConnectWise ScreenConnect, and Kaseya.

This has led to devastating attacks, including REvil's massive ransomware attack on Kaseya, which impacted over 1,000 companies.

Marks & Spencer hackers appear to protect ‘former Soviet states’ from attacks

Marks & Spencer hackers appear to protect ‘former Soviet states’ from attacks
DragonForce group also says it has targeted Co-op and Harrods in cybercrime spree
Hackers who bragged about crippling Marks & Spencer’s systems and breaching Co-op Group databases appeared to have vowed to protect “the former Soviet Union” from the technology used in the attacks.

The DragonForce cybercrime group appeared to use a dark web forum to issue a threat to “punish any violations” by fellow hackers planning to use its ransomware in Russia or the former Soviet states – the first indication of any allegiance.

The group, which licenses its ransomware to other hacking gangs for a fee, claimed responsibility for an attack that has left shelves at some branches of M&S bare and has forced the company to suspend online orders.

A separate attack on the Co-op led to a data breach and customer details being stolen, and the group has also been linked to an attempt to hack systems at Harrods.

“Any attack by our software on critical infrastructure, hospitals where critical patients, children, and the elderly are kept, or on the countries of the former Soviet Union, is a PROVOCATION by unscrupulous partners,” read a statement which claimed to be from the group, released at the end of last month.

“We, as regulators, are doing our best to counteract this, and we will punish any violations, as well as assist in solving the problems of the affected parties.”

DragonForce ransomware group is targeting major UK retailers. Learn about this evolving threat and what steps can be taken to mitigate risk.
In recent weeks, the DragonForce ransomware group has been targeting UK retailers in a series of coordinated attacks causing major service disruptions. Prominent retailers such as Harrods, Marks and Spencer, and the Co-Op have all reported ongoing incidents affecting payment systems, inventory, payroll and other critical business functions.

DragonForce has previously been attributed for a number of notable cyber incidents including attacks on Honolulu OTS (Oahu Transit Services), the Government of Palau, Coca-Cola (Singapore), the Ohio State Lottery, and Yakult Australia.

In this post, we offer a high-level overview of the DragonForce group, discuss its targeting, initial access methods, and payloads. We further provide a comprehensive list of indicators and defensive recommendations to help security teams and threat hunters better protect their organizations.

Background
DragonForce ransomware operations emerged in August 2023, primarily out of Malaysia (DragonForce Malaysia). The group originally positioned itself as a Pro-Palestine hacktivist-style operation; however, over time their goals have shifted and expanded.

The modern-day operation is focused on financial gain and extortion although the operation still targets government entities, making it something of a hybrid actor, both politically aligned and profit-motivated. The group operates a multi-extortion model, with victims threatened with data leakage via the group’s data leak sites, alongside reputational damage.

Recent DragonForce victims have included government institutions, commercial enterprises, and organizations aligned with specific political causes. The group is also known to heavily target law firms and medical practices. Notably, the group has targeted numerous entities in Israel, India, Saudi Arabia, and more recently several retail outlets in the United Kingdom.

Some components of the UK retail attacks have been attributed to an individual affiliated with the loose threat actor collective ‘The Com’, with claims that members are leveraging DragonForce ransomware. Our assessment indicates that the affiliate in question exhibits behavioral and operational characteristics consistent with those previously associated with The Com. However, due to the lack of strong technical evidence and shifting boundaries of The Com, that attribution remains inconclusive and subject to further analysis.

The individuals operating under the DragonForce banner and attacking UK high street retailers are using social engineering for entry. I think it’s in the public interest to break down what is happening.

The attacks on Marks and Spencer, Co-op and Harrods are linked. DragonForce’s lovely PR team claim more are to come.

Defenders should urgently make sure they have read the CISA briefs on Scattered Spider and LAPSUS$ as it’s a repeat of the 2022–2023 activity which saw breaches at Nvidia, Samsung, Rockstar and Microsoft amongst many others. More info below.

I am not saying it is Scatter Spider; Scattered Spider has become a dumping ground for e-crime groups anyway. The point is they — the threat actor — are entering using the front door, via the helpdesk to get MFA access — those are very good guides from defenders about what to do, links below.

Source: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
DragonForce is a white label cartel operation housing anybody who wants to do e-crime. Some of them are pretty good at e-crime.

While organisations are away at RSA thinking about quantum AI cyber mega threats — the harsh reality is most organisations do not have the foundations in place to do be worrying about those kind of things. Generative AI is porn for execs and growth investment — threat actors are very aware that now is the time to launch attacks, not with GenAI, but foundational issues. Because nobody is paying attention.

Once they get access, they are living off the land — using Teams, Office search to find documentation, the works. Forget APTs, now you have the real threat: Advanced Persistent Teenagers, who have realised the way to evade most large cyber programmes is to cosplay as employees. Last time this happened, the MET Police ended up arresting a few under-18 UK nationals causing incidents to largely drop off.

Some Marks & Spencer (M&S) stores have been left with empty food shelves as the retailer continues to struggle with a cyber attack affecting its operations.

Online orders have been paused on the company's website and app since Friday, following problems with contactless pay and Click & collect over the Easter weekend.

The BBC understands food availability should be back to normal by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, security experts say a cyber crime group calling itself DragonForce is behind the mayhem.

in light of the escalating frequency and complexity of ransomware attacks, are security leaders confident in their organization’s defenses? According to Group-IB’s Hi-Tech Crime Trends 2023/2024 Report, ransomware will have an increasingly significant impact in 2024 and beyond. Key trends driving this include the expansion of the Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) market, the proliferation of stolen data on Dedicated Leak Sites (DLS), and a rise in affiliate programs.

CRIL investigates DragonForce Ransomware and its links to a leaked LOCKBIT Builder.