A major manufacturing company fell victim to a swift and devastating ransomware attack after threat actors gained access using just one set of stolen VPN credentials.
The attack, carried out by the cybercrime group Ignoble Scorpius, culminated in widespread encryption of virtual machines and brought critical operations to a halt.
The Initial Compromise
The breach began when an employee received a deceptive voice phishing call. The caller pretended to be from the company’s IT help desk and convinced the employee to enter their VPN login information on a counterfeit website.
With these stolen credentials, attackers slipped inside the network undetected and quickly elevated their user privileges. Within hours, they had executed a DCSync attack on a domain controller to harvest additional high-level credentials.
Key Steps of the Initial Breach:
- Voice phishing call impersonating IT support.
- Employee enters credentials on a fake VPN portal.
- Immediate VPN access with legitimate user rights.
- DCSync attack on domain controller to steal admin hashes.
Lateral Movement and Data Theft
Armed with administrative credentials, the intruders moved through the network via Remote Desktop and SMB protocols. They used common system tools such as Advanced IP Scanner to map the network and identify high-value servers.
To maintain long-term access, they installed AnyDesk and a custom remote access Trojan on a domain controller, configuring it as a scheduled task so it would survive system reboots.
A second domain controller was then compromised, exposing the entire NTDS.dit database of password hashes. Over 400 GB of sensitive data was siphoned off using a renamed rclone utility. Before launching the ransomware, the attackers ran CCleaner to wipe forensic logs.
Highlights of the Data Exfiltration Phase:
- Network discovery via Advanced IP Scanner.
- Deployment of AnyDesk and custom RAT for persistence.
- Compromise of second domain controller and NTDS.dit extraction.
- Exfiltration of over 400 GB of data with a disguised rclone utility.
- Log removal with CCleaner to hinder forensic recovery.
Ransomware Deployment and Response
The final phase of the attack was orchestrated through Ansible. Hundreds of virtual machines across roughly 60 VMware ESXi hosts were encrypted almost simultaneously by BlackSuit ransomware.
Production lines ground to a standstill, causing significant financial and operational damage. The manufacturer immediately called in Unit 42, which led a rapid response effort.
Unit 42’s Intervention
Unit 42 experts expanded the client’s Cortex XDR coverage from 250 to over 17,000 endpoints, giving security teams real-time visibility of attacker actions.
Using Cortex XSOAR, containment steps were automated to isolate affected systems and prevent the malware from spreading. The investigation traced every step of the attack, allowing Unit 42 to deliver targeted recommendations.
Key Recommendations and Outcomes
The response team advised replacing outdated Cisco ASA firewalls with next-generation firewalls, enforcing network segmentation, and restricting management access to critical servers.
Multi-factor authentication was mandated for all remote logins, and service accounts were locked down to prevent misuse. Endpoint protections were strengthened by blocking exploit methods such as PetitPotam and keeping all systems fully patched.
Logging was enhanced to retain critical events for at least 90 days and validate cloud trails. As a result, the $20 million ransom demand was rejected, and no payment was made.
Continuous monitoring under Unit 42’s Managed Detection and Response service now safeguards the client’s infrastructure.
A Single Credential’s Ripple Effect
This incident highlights how one compromised set of VPN credentials can trigger a chain reaction of exploitation, data theft, and encryption.
Organizations must deploy layered defenses—combining strong authentication, comprehensive endpoint visibility, automated containment, and expert guidance—to disrupt attacks before they escalate.
Investments in proactive security measures pay off exponentially when compared to the costs of a full-scale ransomware crisis.
Find this Story Interesting! Follow us on Google News , LinkedIn and X to Get More Instant Updates
