Cactus
activeAlso known as: Cactus Ransomware
Cactus ransomware is known for its unique self-encryption technique to evade detection. The ransomware encrypts itself to avoid antivirus detection and exploits VPN appliance vulnerabilities for initial access.
First Seen
2023-03
Last Activity
2025-01
Target Regions
3 regions
Industries
5 sectors
TechnologyManufacturingLegalFinanceRetail
Attack Chain (MITRE ATT&CK)
Visual representation of the attack phases and techniques used by Cactus
Click on a phase to view details and MITRE ATT&CK technique IDs
Tactics & Techniques
MITRE ATT&CK mapped tactics and techniques used by this threat actor
Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
Known IOCs associated with Cactus operations
| Type | Value | Description | Last Seen | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hash | f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3 | Cactus ransomware binary | 2025-01-09 | |
| filename | cAcTuS.readme.txt | Ransom note | — |
IOCs are defanged for safety. Click copy to get the clean value.
Detection Guidance
SIEM and EDR detection recommendations for identifying Cactus activity
- 1Monitor for 7-Zip self-extracting execution
- 2Detect Rclone cloud upload activity
- 3Alert on BYOVD driver loading
- 4Monitor VPN appliance logs for exploitation
Mitigation, Containment & Recovery
Step-by-step guidance for responding to and recovering from this ransomware attack
- 1Patch all VPN appliances immediately
- 2Block Rclone at proxy
- 3Isolate affected systems