PLAY Ransomware Threatens Data Leak as New U.S. Targets Come Under Fire

The PLAY ransomware group, a cybercriminal collective linked to over 300 global breaches since 2022, has intensified its U.S.-focused campaigns by adding two new victims to its dark web leak portal: Finck Cigar Company, a historic tobacco manufacturer, and 3c Business Solutions, Inc., a managed IT services provider.

The group threatens to publish stolen data on March 3, 2025, unless ransom demands are met, according to a post monitored by FalconFeedsio.

This development underscores PLAY’s persistent exploitation of unpatched vulnerabilities and its refinement of double-extortion tactics to pressure enterprises.

Technical Modus Operandi and Recent Enhancements

PLAY ransomware, also known as PlayCrypt, employs a multi-stage attack framework designed to maximize operational disruption.

Recent campaigns leverage intermittent encryption, a technique that selectively encrypts file segments to evade detection by security tools.

The group’s double-extortion model—exfiltrating sensitive data before deploying ransomware—ensures leverage over victims, as seen in the current threats against Finck Cigar and 3c Business Solutions.

Initial access often stems from exploiting known vulnerabilities in Fortinet SSL VPNs (CVE-2018-13379, CVE-2020-12812) and Microsoft Exchange servers (ProxyNotShell: CVE-2022-41040, CVE-2022-41082).

Once inside, attackers use Mimikatz to extract credentials from memory, escalate privileges via domain administrator accounts, and deploy lateral movement tools like PsExec and Cobalt Strike beacons.

A recent innovation includes a Linux variant targeting VMware ESXi environments, enabling encryption of virtual machine files and backup systems.

Target Profile and Strategic Implications

Finck Cigar Company, operational since 1893, and 3c Business Solutions, which supports SMB IT infrastructure, represent PLAY’s continued focus on mid-sized enterprises in critical sectors.

The ransomware group has historically prioritized industries like logistics, finance, and healthcare, where operational downtime incurs severe financial and reputational costs.

By threatening to leak client contracts, financial records, and proprietary data, PLAY amplifies pressure on victims wary of regulatory penalties and loss of stakeholder trust.

The March 3 leak deadline aligns with PLAY’s pattern of allowing a 5–7 day negotiation window, during which victims are coerced via direct email communication.

Failure to comply typically results in data auctions on dark web forums, as observed in the 2024 breaches of Madison Capital and The Time Group.

Broader Campaign Trends and Defensive Recommendations

Since mid-2022, PLAY has shifted toward a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, leasing its infrastructure to affiliate actors in exchange for a share of ransom payments.

This collaborative approach has expanded its geographic reach, with 33% of confirmed victims based in the U.S., followed by Germany (15%) and Brazil (12%).

The group’s TTPs mirror those of Hive and Nokoyawa ransomware operations, suggesting potential overlaps in personnel or infrastructure.

To mitigate risks, cybersecurity agencies recommend:

• Immediate patching of Fortinet and Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities.
• Network segmentation to limit lateral movement post-breach.
• Disabling unnecessary services like Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for VPN access.
• Deploying behavioral analytics tools to detect credential dumping and anomalous data transfers.

Industry and Government Response

The FBI and CISA have reiterated alerts about PLAY’s evolving tactics, urging organizations to audit backup systems and monitor for IoCs such as the .play file extension and ransom notes titled ReadMe.txt.

Cybersecurity firm Trend Micro notes a 170% increase in PLAY-related intrusion attempts in 2024, particularly targeting unpatched ESXi servers.

As the March 3 deadline approaches, Finck Cigar and 3c Business Solutions face critical decisions: negotiate with opaque actors or risk irreversible data exposure.

With PLAY’s operators showing no signs of deceleration, proactive defense mechanisms remain the bulwark against this persistent threat.

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