Home/Threat Actor/Interlock Ransomware
Threat Actor

Interlock Ransomware

interlock_ransomware · unknown_likely_russia_aligned · active since 2024-09

Interlock Ransomware (Cisco Talos canonical disclosure, November 2024) is a financially-motivated cybercriminal ransomware operation that emerged in approximately September- October 2024 with operationally-distinctive cross-platform ransomware encryptor development (Windows, Linux, AND FreeBSD variants, FreeBSD targeting rare in ransomware ecosystem), ClearFake-style fake browser update social-engineering initial-access tradecraft (compromised legitimate websites serving fake Chrome/Edge update overlays delivering Interlock payloads), and significant healthcare sector targeting including high-profile attack on DaVita Inc. dialysis provider.

possible operational linkage to Rhysida ransomware ecosystem (rhysida_ransomware.yaml) based on tooling overlaps; standard double-extortion operational model with rclone- mediated Mega.nz data exfiltration and WorldLeaks dark-web leak site for non-paying-victim data publication.

operationally distinct from but ecosystem-adjacent to other ransomware clusters in this corpus including Fog Ransomware (which uses compromised-VPN-credentials initial access in contrast to Interlock's social-engineering tradecraft).

unknown_likely_russia_aligned confidence: high 8 aliases

Profile

Interlock Ransomware (Cisco Talos canonical disclosure, November 2024) is a financially-motivated cybercriminal ransomware operation that emerged in approximately September- October 2024 and has demonstrated operationally-distinctive tradecraft in three significant dimensions: (1) CROSS-PLATFORM RANSOMWARE ENCRYPTOR DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING FREEBSD TARGETING. Interlock operators have developed and deployed ransomware encryptor variants for Windows, Linux, AND FreeBSD operating systems, operationally distinctive in the ransomware ecosystem for the FreeBSD targeting capability. FreeBSD is a Unix-like operating system used in selective server and appliance environments (network appliances, security infrastructure including firewalls and IDS, selective web-serving environments) but rarely targeted by ransomware operators, leaving FreeBSD systems as relative- safe-haven platforms in mixed-environment ransomware incidents. Interlock's FreeBSD targeting capability removes this safe-haven assumption for affected victim organizations and represents a tooling-investment level beyond the commodity ransomware ecosystem norm. (2) CLEARFAKE-STYLE FAKE BROWSER UPDATE INITIAL ACCESS TRADECRAFT. Interlock operators rely on ClearFake-style fake browser update social-engineering lures for initial access, operating by compromising legitimate websites (often via JavaScript injection in WordPress or other CMS-managed sites), serving visitors fake browser update overlays claiming Chrome or Microsoft Edge requires a security update, and delivering initial Interlock payloads via fake update installers. The signature initial-access tradecraft operationally distinguishes Interlock from compromised- credential-driven ransomware clusters (Fog Ransomware, fog_ransomware.yaml) and from N-day-exploitation-driven clusters, positioning Interlock within the broader fake- browser-update social-engineering ecosystem that has emerged as a significant ransomware delivery pathway in 2023-2025. (3) HEALTHCARE SECTOR TARGETING WITH PATIENT-SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. Interlock operators have demonstrated a significant targeting focus on healthcare sector victims, including the high-profile attack on DaVita Inc. (one of the largest US dialysis providers). Healthcare sector targeting creates significant patient safety implications: ransomware operations against healthcare providers including dialysis providers and hospitals can disrupt critical patient care services and create direct patient-safety risk in addition to the data-breach and financial impacts. The HHS Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) has issued multiple advisories on Interlock Ransomware threat indicators for healthcare sector defenders. Cisco Talos has assessed possible operational linkage between Interlock operators and the Rhysida ransomware ecosystem (rhysida_ransomware.yaml) based on observed tooling overlaps and operational tradecraft similarities, though the operational-linkage assessment is analytical and not confirmed. The cluster operates with the standard double-extortion ransomware operational model: data exfiltration to Mega.nz cloud storage via rclone, encryption of victim systems with cross-platform encryptors, and ransom demands leveraged by both encryption impact and threatened data publication on the cluster-controlled WorldLeaks dark- web leak site. Interlock Ransomware is curated alongside the broader ransomware ecosystem coverage in this corpus (LockBit, lockbit_operators.yaml.

Akira, akira_ransomware.yaml.

Play, play_ransomware.yaml.

Black Basta, black_basta.yaml.

Royal / BlackSuit, royal_blacksuit.yaml.

Cactus, cactus_ransomware.yaml; Rhysida, rhysida_ransomware.yaml.

INC Ransom, inc_ransom.yaml; Medusa, medusa_ransomware.yaml.

Qilin, qilin_ransomware.yaml; Hunters International, hunters_international.yaml.

BianLian, bianlian.yaml.

RansomHub, ransomhub.yaml.

Fog, fog_ransomware.yaml; DragonForce, dragonforce.yaml.

Embargo, embargo_ransomware.yaml; NoEscape, noescape.yaml.

Trigona, trigona_ransomware.yaml.

Hive, hive_ransomware.yaml.

REvil, revil_sodinokibi.yaml.

DarkSide / BlackMatter, darkside_blackmatter.yaml.

ALPHV / BlackCat, alphv_blackcat.yaml.

Maze, maze_ransomware.yaml.

Conti / Wizard Spider, wizard_spider_conti.yaml.

Cuba, cuba_ransomware.yaml; Vice Society / Vanilla Tempest, vice_society_vanilla_tempest.yaml). Its operational distinctiveness within this ecosystem is the cross-platform-including-FreeBSD encryptor capability and the ClearFake-style fake-browser-update initial-access tradecraft.

Aliases

8
interlock_ransomwareinterlock ransomwareinterlockinterlock ransomware operatorsinterlock ransomware groupinterlock raasinterlockransomwareinterlock cluster

Notable Campaigns

4
2024-2025Cross-Platform Ransomware Variants, FreeBSD Targeting Operational Distinctive
2024-2025ClearFake-Style Fake Browser Update Initial Access Tradecraft
2024-2025Healthcare Sector Targeting Including DaVita Dialysis Provider (2024-2025)
2024Cisco Talos Canonical Public Disclosure, Interlock Ransomware (November 2024)

Attribution & Reporting

Attributed by
Cisco TalosSekoiaSophosTrend MicroMicrosoft Threat IntelligenceSentinelOneSymantec / Broadcom Threat Hunter TeamHalcyonRecorded FutureCISA (US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency)HHS HC3 (Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center)FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Key reporting
reportCisco Talos: Emerging Interlock Ransomware (November 2024), canonical first-disclosure
reportSekoia: Interlock Ransomware Emerging Threat Analysis (2024)
reportSophos X-Ops: Interlock Ransomware Operational Analysis
reportTrend Micro: Interlock Ransomware Technical Analysis
reportMicrosoft Threat Intelligence: Interlock Ransomware Indicators
reportCISA Cybersecurity Advisory: Interlock Ransomware Indicators (2025)
reportHHS HC3: Interlock Ransomware Healthcare Sector Advisory
reportMalpedia Actor / Malware Profile: Interlock Ransomware

Operational

State sponsor

Cybercriminal ransomware operation first publicly disclosed by Cisco Talos in November 2024 as an emerging ransomware family that had been observed in operations beginning approximately September-October 2024. The operational origin assessment is unclear in the public record: industry analysis (Cisco Talos canonical disclosure, Sekoia, Sophos, Trend Micro, Microsoft Threat Intelligence) has not formally attributed Interlock Ransomware to any specific national origin, government affiliation, or established cybercriminal organization. The cluster's operational tradecraft, ransom negotiation patterns, victim country avoidance (no documented CIS-country victims, consistent with Russian-aligned cybercriminal ecosystem norms), and operational tempo are consistent with the broader Russian-aligned cybercriminal ransomware ecosystem, but no direct evidence has been publicly disclosed linking Interlock to specific named Russian-language criminal forums, affiliate groups, or individual operators.

Cisco Talos has assessed possible operational linkage between Interlock operators and the Rhysida ransomware ecosystem (rhysida_ransomware.yaml) based on observed tooling overlaps and operational tradecraft similarities, though the operational-linkage assessment is analytical and not confirmed. The cluster operates as a financially-motivated cybercriminal operation with no known state sponsorship or geopolitical alignment beyond the operational-ecosystem-level Russian-aligned cybercriminal context.

Motivations
financial_gain, ransomware_extortion, double_extortion_data_exfiltration_and_encryption, ransom_payment_extraction, cross_platform_ransomware_deployment
Sectors
Regions

Detection Blind Spots

60 techniques
Across this actor’s 60 mapped techniques, the share covered by each detection layer. Low bars are where you’d be blind if this actor targeted you.
Behavioral / log (Sigma)59/60 · 98%
Analytics (MITRE CAR)34/60 · 56%
Runtime / container (Falco)8/60 · 13%
File / malware (YARA)0/60 · 0%
Network (Suricata/Snort)15/60 · 25%
Vuln scan (Nuclei)0/60 · 0%

Atomic Test Plan

30 techniques
Runnable Atomic Red Team tests covering this actor’s mapped techniques - validate your detections against this specific adversary. Cross-reference the blind spots above. For authorized lab / purple-team use. Open the full builder

Tools Used

1 mapped
Other tooling / TTPs (curation, not ATT&CK-mapped):
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