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Proofpoint reported a sharp escalation in Locky ransomware distribution by threat actors associated with major Dridex operations, including a campaign that sent tens of millions of emails and heavily targeted organizations in the UK and France. The activity relied on malicious email attachments such as JavaScript files, weaponized documents, and archive-based lures, showing that established banking malware operators had moved aggressively into ransomware delivery at scale.
Researchers said the campaigns used a newly identified downloader, RockLoader, alongside layered evasion tactics including heavily obfuscated JavaScript, junk files, malformed Content-Type headers, RAR archives, and misleading or double file extensions. Proofpoint also observed RockLoader delivering multiple payloads beyond Locky, including Dridex 220, Pony, and Kegotip, indicating a flexible malware distribution platform that was rapidly changing code and delivery methods to bypass detection and improve infection rates.
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Proofpoint described an April 7 Locky ransomware email campaign involving tens of millions of messages, primarily targeting organizations in the UK and France. The activity was part of the broader surge attributed to actors tied to Dridex operations.
Proofpoint identified a newly observed intermediary downloader called RockLoader being used in the campaigns. It was seen delivering Locky as well as other malware families including Dridex 220, Pony, and Kegotip.
Proofpoint reported a major increase in Locky ransomware email campaigns in early 2016, linking the activity to actors associated with large Dridex operations. The campaigns used JavaScript attachments, malicious documents, and multiple evasion techniques to improve delivery and bypass detection.
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Proofpoint reported that threat actors associated with the **Dridex** banking trojan expanded into ransomware operations by distributing **Locky**, linking a major financial malware crew to one of the most disruptive file-encrypting threats at the time. The activity showed established cybercriminal operators reusing their spam delivery infrastructure and malware distribution expertise to push ransomware at scale. The report also identified a new malware component called **RockLoader**, which was introduced as part of the infection chain supporting Locky delivery. The combination of Dridex-linked distribution, high-volume malicious email campaigns, and an added loader stage indicated a more modular and professionalized attack workflow designed to improve payload delivery and broaden the operators' monetization options.
Jul 4, 2026
A surge in sophisticated cyberattacks has been observed, with threat actors employing a variety of tactics to compromise organizations and individuals. Notable incidents include the use of the BYOVD (Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver) technique to deploy DeadLock ransomware, as well as targeted campaigns leveraging phishing emails with HR-related lures to distribute Remcos RAT malware. Additionally, attackers are exploiting popular movie torrents to spread Agent Tesla via layered PowerShell scripts, and Android users in Spain are being targeted by the DroidLock ransomware, which can hijack devices and demand ransom through full-screen overlays. These campaigns demonstrate a trend toward multi-stage infection chains, abuse of legitimate tools and drivers, and the use of social engineering to increase the likelihood of successful compromise. Other significant developments include the targeting of Canadian organizations by the STAC6565/Gold Blade group using QWCrypt ransomware, and the emergence of new threat actor tactics such as disabling endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems to facilitate ransomware deployment. The threat landscape is further complicated by the activities of groups like Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, who use social engineering and typosquatted domains to compromise Zendesk users, and the exposure of internal dynamics within ransomware groups like BlackBasta, revealing operational stress and internal mistrust. These incidents underscore the evolving nature of cyber threats, the blending of espionage and financial motives, and the increasing sophistication of both technical and social attack vectors.
Jun 29, 2026
Reporting and research published in mid-January 2026 highlights continued **high ransomware activity** and rapid evolution in initial-access and evasion tradecraft. A Symantec/Carbon Black Threat Hunter Team study cited by *Help Net Security* reports ransomware actors claimed **4,737 attacks in 2025**, with only brief slowdowns after major disruptions; the abrupt April 2025 shutdown of **RansomHub** was followed by affiliates quickly shifting to other operations, while **LockBit** failed to recover after late-2024 law-enforcement action. The same reporting notes a broader shift toward **extortion models that don’t rely on encryption**, emphasizing data theft and coercion as groups diversify pressure tactics. Multiple technical reports describe how attackers are improving delivery and resilience. *BleepingComputer* says **Gootloader** now uses heavily malformed ZIP files—concatenating **500–1,000** ZIP archives and manipulating ZIP structures (e.g., truncated `EOCD`)—to crash or defeat common analysis tools while still extracting via Windows’ default utility, supporting its role as an initial-access vector often preceding ransomware. *The Register* reports **DeadLock** ransomware uses **Polygon smart contracts** to frequently rotate proxy infrastructure for victim communications (via an HTML wrapper pointing victims to the *Session* messenger), complicating blocking and takedown efforts; Group-IB notes DeadLock also departs from typical double-extortion by lacking a public data-leak site and instead threatening underground data sales. Separately, Microsoft-observed phishing described by *KnowBe4* shows threat actors exploiting **email routing/spoofing misconfigurations** to make phishing appear internal (often leveraging **Tycoon2FA**), while ReliaQuest’s trend report and a separate write-up on **CastleLoader** describe human-driven initial access (spearphishing/drive-by) and social-engineering lures such as **ClickFix** being used to stage loaders and follow-on payloads—underscoring that access-broker and loader ecosystems continue to feed ransomware and broader intrusion activity.
Jun 29, 2026