Clop Ransomware Gang Exploits Cleo Software Bug to Breach 66 Companies
The prolific Clop ransomware gang claims to have stolen data from at least 66 organizations by exploiting a vulnerability in Cleo Software's file transfer tools. The hackers plan to publish the victims' names soon to extort ransom payments.
The Clop ransomware gang publicly claims responsibility for a massive cyberattack that compromises at least 66 companies by exploiting a vulnerability in Cleo Software's widely used corporate file transfer tools. The cybercriminals currently list partial names of the affected organizations on their dark web leak site, which TechCrunch verifies, though these specific companies do not respond to the hackers' outreach.
This strategy shows a familiar extortion tactic as the gang prepares to reveal the full names of the victims in an effort to force them into paying ransoms to prevent the release of their sensitive, stolen files. By threatening to publicly expose the breaches, Clop pressures the targeted businesses into negotiating under severe time constraints and public scrutiny.
This incident represents Clop's latest in a series of large-scale attacks that specifically target file transfer platforms used by enterprises to share massive, sensitive datasets over the internet. The gang previously executes similar mass hacks against hundreds of organizations using comparable tools like Accellion, GoAnywhere, and MOVEit, establishing a clear and dangerous pattern in their cybercriminal operations.