Introduction
Abyss‑Data, also known as Abyss Locker, is a ransomware operation first identified around March 2023. It conducts double extortion by exfiltrating data and encrypting systems—particularly targeting VMware ESXi virtual environments—then threatening to leak stolen data via a TOR-based leak site if ransom demands aren’t met. The group’s Linux variant derives from the Babuk ransomware source code with encryption resembling HelloKitty, using ChaCha–based ciphers. On Windows, Abyss Locker encrypts files (typically appending “.abyss” or randomized extensions), deletes Volume Shadow Copies, manipulates boot policy to disable recovery, and delivers ransom notes (e.g., WhatHappened.txt), often replacing the desktop wallpaper as part of its extortion tactics. Its campaigns have targeted diverse industries—finance, healthcare, manufacturing, technology—across multiple regions, with victim lists prominently featuring organizations in North America.
Activities and Tactics
Information pending cataloguing.
Notable Campaigns
Information pending cataloguing.
Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs)
Information pending cataloguing.
Notable Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
No curated IOCs are currently published for this actor. This section will be updated when stable, attributable indicators are available.
Malware and Tools
Information pending cataloguing.
Attribution and Evidence
Information pending cataloguing.
References
References pending cataloguing.