Herold Druck listed on malas ransomware leak site

• Ransomware group: malas
• Country: Austria
• Sector: Manufacturing
• Announcement date: April 9, 2023

Herold Druck targeted by malas ransomware group

The Austrian printing company Herold Druck has been listed on a ransomware leak site by a threat actor known as malas. The announcement, which appeared on April 9, 2023, indicates a potential data breach involving the organization. While the listing has been published on the group's platform, the claims made by the threat actor remain unverified.

Details of the claimed attack

According to the claims made by the malas group, the attackers gained unauthorized access to the organization's network by exploiting a vulnerability within the Zimbra software. This method of entry suggests that software vulnerabilities in communication or collaboration tools are being utilized by threat actors to breach corporate environments.

The announcement was officially published on the group's leak site on April 9, 2023. At this time, the specific details regarding the nature of the allegedly leaked data have not been provided by the threat actor. No information has been disclosed concerning the volume of files involved, the specific types of data stolen, or the amount of ransom demanded by the group.

Organization profile

Herold Druck is an Austria-based printing company that specializes in label and packaging solutions. The company utilizes high-quality printing technologies to provide a variety of production services for various industries.

Impact and security implications

Public information regarding the malas group is currently limited. The potential leak of an organization's data can lead to the exposure of sensitive information, such as trade secrets and operational processes. If the compromised data includes employee or customer information, it could be utilized by third parties for malicious purposes, such as identity theft or targeted phishing attacks.

Furthermore, depending on the region where the organization operates, a data breach of this nature may trigger legal obligations regarding data breach notifications and potential legal sanctions. This incident highlights the growing trend of the double extortion method. In such scenarios, threat actors not only encrypt an organization's data to disrupt operations but also threaten to leak the stolen information publicly to increase the pressure on the organization to pay a ransom.

Defensive considerations for the manufacturing sector

To mitigate the risks associated with such attacks, organizations in the manufacturing and printing sectors can consider several defensive strategies:

• Vulnerability Management: Regularly patching software, such as email and collaboration tools like Zimbra, to close security gaps that attackers exploit.
• Network Segmentation: Implementing segmentation to prevent attackers from moving laterally through the network once access is gained.
• Monitoring and Detection: Maintaining robust monitoring to identify unusual activity that may indicate an ongoing breach.
• Data Protection: Utilizing encryption and access controls to protect sensitive trade secrets and customer information.

As ransomware groups continue to evolve, the use of double extortion remains a significant threat to industrial and manufacturing entities worldwide.