Carbanak emerged around 2013, this chameleon-like group is constantly evolving its tactics and techniques. This group gained notoriety for orchestrating sophisticated attacks on financial institutions globally, they have branched off to hit any sector that can offer them a payout, including hospitals, pipelines, hospitality, power grids, restaurants and even, at a higher level, the Military infrastructure.
Let's not leave out that this group has access to financial information, family and friends. blackmailing of individuals is a possibility I'd like to keep open. These blackmailing tactics can make it easy for people to gain access to what the blackmailed individual has access to. Their centre base is likely somewhere in Europe. This group seems to be fluent in many languages being a spread-out organization in a sense.
aliases:
- Carbanak: The original name associated with the cybercriminal group, derived from the Carbanak backdoor malware they initially used.
- Anunak: An alias linked to the group, often used to describe their operations involving banking trojans and financial cybercrimes.
- Carbon Spider: Another alias representing the group, highlighting their adaptive and evolving nature in cyber-attacks.
- FIN7: A prominent subset or sub-group of Carbanak, specializing in targeting point-of-sale (PoS) systems in the retail and hospitality sectors.
- CobaltGoblin: A subgroup associated with Carbanak, known for targeting financial organizations and utilizing various malicious techniques for cyber-attacks.
- EmpireMonkey: Another subset of Carbanak, focusing on cyber-attacks primarily against financial institutions.
- ALPHV (BlackCat): A ransomware gang associated with the Carbanak group, particularly known for the BlackCat ransomware and involvement in high-profile cyber-attacks.
- Conti (Ryuk): Conti, also known as Ryuk, is known for encrypting files and demanding ransom payments.
The exact origins and identities of the individuals behind Carbanak remain somewhat mysterious and are a subject of ongoing investigation. The group is believed to have initially emerged from the former Soviet states, particularly Russia and Ukraine, given their linguistic capabilities and the initial focus on targeting Russian-speaking regions.
skills:
- Steganography
- DGAs
- RaaS
- SET
- APTs
- MitM
- Fileless Malware
- Malware Manipulation
- Zero-Day Exploits
- Watering Hole Attacks
- AETS
- Cryptography
- Network sniffing
Extortion on all kinds of levels from Ransomware attacks, to blackmailing individuals, to DDoS. They seem to cover all bases when it comes to extortion.
notable_incidents:
- (2013-2015): Carbanak emerged around 2013-2014 and targeted financial and telecommunication institutions, primarily in Ukraine and Russia.
- (2016): The group targeted U.S.-based chain restaurants using a new JScript backdoor called Bateleur.
- (2017): Royal ransomware emerged, initially targeting entities associated with auto racing in Britain and later spreading to various businesses, including property appraisals.
- (2021): BlackCat, also known as ALPHV, claimed responsibility for a cyber-attack on the Barts Health NHS Trust.
I don't get into their personal stuff. It's not my territory. They operate in the shadows, and poking around could get you in trouble. I respect what they do, but I keep my distance.Cybersecurity is a fascinating world I have been at it for 10+ years, one best approached this topic with caution, looking at the big picture. And you know what? I reckon law enforcement plays it close to the chest, too. It's a constant cat-and-mouse game in this realm, where the roles of cat and mouse switch constantly.
I must emphasize that these individuals should not be underestimated. They will bite your head off if they fear threats. Their level of expertise is astonishing, to the point where it wouldn't be a stretch to believe that some operate at the level of nation-state actors. Government hackers, perhaps? Absolutely. One thing is clear: they are serious about their objectives and possess a skill set that is nothing short of exceptional.