darkylock
Intelligence Profile
Darky Lock is a commodity-style ransomware strain first identified in July 2022, derived from publicly available Babuk source code. Victim systems undergo file encryption with an added “.darky” extension, and a “Restore-My-Files.txt” ransom note is placed in all impacted locations. The malware attempts to disable backup mechanisms, including shadow copies and specific applications. Its distribution leverages phishing and trojanized installers, complemented by payloads dropped via frameworks like Empire, Metasploit, and Cobalt Strike.
Threat Analysis
darkylock is a ransomware operation that deploys encryption-based extortion against organizations globally. This group maintains a data leak site (DLS) to pressure victims into paying ransom demands.
Financially motivated threat actors like darkylock prioritize monetary gain through methods such as ransomware deployment, banking trojans, cryptocurrency theft, BEC scams, or credential harvesting for resale on underground markets.