"Unlike Hunters International, which combined encryption with extortion, World Leaks operates as an extortion-only group using a custom-built exfiltration tool," Group-IB said at the time, adding that the new tool appears to be an upgraded version of the Storage Software exfiltration tool used by Hunters International's ransomware affiliates. The threat actors added that companies whose systems were encrypted in Hunters International ransomware attacks can request decryption tools and recovery guidance on the gang's official website. While the ransomware group doesn't explain what "recent developments" it refers to, today's announcement follows a November 17 statement saying that Hunters International will soon shut down because of increased law enforcement scrutiny and declining profitability. Notable victims claimed by Hunters International include the U.S. Marshals Service, Japanese optics giant Hoya, Tata Technologies, North American automobile dealership AutoCanada, U.S. Navy contractor Austal USA, and Integris Health, Oklahoma's largest not-for-profit healthcare network. The Hunters International Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation announced today that it has officially closed down its operations and will offer free decryptors to help victims recover their data without paying a ransom. Hunters International emerged in late 2023 and was flagged by security researchers and ransomware experts as a potential rebrand of Hive due to code similarities. Over the last two years, Hunters International has targeted companies of all sizes, with ransom demands ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the size of the breached organization. In December 2024, Hunters International also hacked the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, threatening to leak the stolen data of over 800,000 cancer patients if they were not paid. "After careful consideration and in light of recent developments, we have decided to close the Hunters International project.
This Cyber News was published on www.bleepingcomputer.com. Publication date: Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:55:14 +0000