Akira — Ransomware Profile
Akira is a ransomware variant and ransomware deployment entity active since at least March 2023. Akira uses compromised credentials to access single-factor external access mechanisms such as VPNs for initial access, then various publicly-available tools and techniques for lateral movement. Akira operations are associated with "double extortion" ransomware activity, where data is exfiltrated from victim environments prior to encryption, with threats to publish files if a ransom is not paid. Technical analysis of Akira ransomware indicates variants capable of targeting Windows or VMWare ESXi hypervisors and multiple overlaps with Conti ransomware.Description reproduced from MITRE ATT&CK. © The MITRE Corporation, reproduced and distributed with permission.
Also tracked as
GOLD SAHARA, PUNK SPIDER, Howling Scorpius, Storm-1567
IntelFusions coverage (18)
- Brazil logs its busiest month on ransomware leak sites 2026-10-05 · Cyber Incidents
- Extortion crews turn on ports and fuel terminals 2026-09-21 · Ransomware
- Bug bounty hunter planted an AI-written stealer on npm 2026-09-16 · AI Security
- LockBit leads a four-fold jump in Dutch leak-site listings 2026-09-05 · Cyber Incidents
- Settra quietly became one of the busiest extortion crews 2026-09-04 · Ransomware
- New ransomware crew Za Woo opens with 10 German victims 2026-08-30 · Ransomware
- Veeam bug wrote backup credentials into plain text logs 2026-08-26 · Vulnerabilities
- New crew Storm goes after US clinics, banks and factories 2026-08-25 · Ransomware
- Akira reboots PCs into Safe Mode to blind security tools 2026-08-19 · Ransomware
- Ransomware crews can hide their tracks in ESX logs 2026-08-07 · Ransomware
- Hackers poison Bing search results to drop Akira ransomware on companies 2026-06-29 · Ransomware
- Ransomware gang claims to hit German submarine builder Thyssenkrupp 2026-06-28 · Ransomware
- Newer ransomware crews claim diagnostics maker Hologic and an Australian fire service 2026-06-28 · Ransomware
- New ransomware crew The Gentlemen claims 20 victims in one week 2026-06-12 · Ransomware
- NightSpire: The Rbfs Rebrand That Went From Data Theft to Double Extortion in Weeks 2026-02-16 · Ransomware
- Akira Topped Sophos Ransomware Cases in 2024, Peaked at 17% of August Detections Amid Veeam Exploits 2026-02-16 · Ransomware
- From Conti Code to ESXi Servers: SentinelOne Decodes Akira's Cross-Platform Ransomware Evolution 2026-02-16 · Ransomware
- Akira Ransomware Targets Cisco VPNs Without MFA: Sophos Documents Over a Dozen Incidents 2026-02-16 · Ransomware
Tools & malware
- AdFind Network Reconnaissance
- Advanced IP Scanner tool
- Akira Ransomware
- Akira _v2 Ransomware
- AnyDesk tool
- Cloudflare Tunnel tool
- FileZilla tool
- LaZagne Credential Harvesting
- Megazord Backdoor
- Mimikatz Credential Harvesting
- MobaXterm tool
- Ngrok tool
- PCHunter64 tool
- PowerTool tool
- PsExec Remote Execution
- Rclone Exfiltration Tool
- RustDesk tool
- SoftPerfect Network Scanner tool
- WinRAR tool
- WinSCP tool
Recent claimed victims
- Bravilor Bonamat 2026-10-23
- SCHWAB-SYSTEM 2026-10-23
- Bankruptcy Software Specialists 2026-10-23
- Bethany Press International 2026-10-22
- Medienwerkstatt 2026-10-22
- Annapath 2026-10-22
- Flextron Circuit Assembly 2026-10-21
- Cascade Flooring America 2026-10-21
- Videk 2026-10-15
- Boyle, Pecharich, Cline, Whittington and Stallings 2026-10-15
- Svd (Sun Valley Dairy) 2026-10-15
- FOODMatch 2026-10-14
- Shediac Lobster Shop 2026-10-14
- Torns Enterprises 2026-10-14
- Louis Fusco 2026-10-12
- PIC GROUP, INC 2026-10-12
- AAA Architectural Hardware 2026-10-12
- Yarema 2026-10-09
- Design Electric 2026-10-09
- TigerPress (DCC) 2026-10-09
- Michael K Shelby, CPA 2026-10-06
- Hygrade 2026-10-06
- The Official Collegeof Architects of León (COAL) 2026-10-03
- Pacific Tank Lines 2026-10-02
- The Official College of Architects of León (COAL) 2026-10-02
Vendor research
- GOLD SAHARA Secureworks
- the full attack chain and indicators Huntress
- SentinelOne SentinelOne
- Conti and Akira: Chained Together Arctic Wolf
- Tracking Adversaries: Akira, another descendent of Conti BushidoToken
- #StopRansomware: Akira Ransomware CISA
- Secureworks. (n.d.). GOLD SAHARA Secureworks
- Threat Assessment: Howling Scorpius (Akira Ransomware) Palo Alto
- CrowdStrike. (n.d.). Punk Spider Crowdstrike
- Akira ransomware continues to evolve Cisco