Ethical Hacking News
In a surprise move, the Hunters International ransomware gang announced that it is shutting down and offering free decryption keys to all victims. The group cited "recent developments" as the reason for its decision and acknowledged the impact on organizations it had interacted with. With this move, cybersecurity experts are left wondering about the motivations behind the group's actions and the effectiveness of its offer of free decryption keys.
The Hunters International ransomware gang has announced its shutdown, citing "recent developments" as the reason. The group was suspected to be a rebrand of the Hive ransomware gang after international authorities seized their infrastructure. The Hunters International group may have shifted into a new group called World Leaks with new ransomware and infrastructure. The group is offering free decryption keys to all victims affected by its ransomware attacks as a gesture of goodwill. Experts warn that the decryption keys may not be effective and require understanding of the encryption method used by the Hunters International gang.
Hunters International ransomware gang, a threat actor that had been making waves in the cybersecurity community for over two years, has announced its shutdown. The group, which was suspected to be a rebrand of the Hive ransomware gang after international authorities seized their infrastructure, has cited "recent developments" as the reason for its decision.
The Hunters International group emerged on the threat landscape after the Hive gang's infrastructure was dismantled by law enforcement agencies. Experts noticed that the Hunters International group was using a code that is very similar to the one used by the Hive gang, raising suspicions about their connections.
However, with the shutdown of the Hunters International group, experts believe that this may be a strategic rebrand into a new group called World Leaks. The move likely aims to cut ties with old infrastructure, which poses risks of law enforcement tracking. World Leaks uses new ransomware and infrastructure but may involve the same threat actors.
In a surprise move, the Hunters International gang announced that it is offering free decryption keys to all victims who were affected by its ransomware attacks. The group stated that it wishes to inform its victims of the decision regarding its operations and acknowledged the impact on the organizations it had interacted with.
The Hunters International group's announcement reads: "We, at Hunters International, wish to inform you of a significant decision regarding our operations. After careful consideration and in light of recent developments, we have decided to close the Hunters International project. This decision was not made lightly, and we recognize the impact it has on the organizations we have interacted with."
As a gesture of goodwill and to assist those affected by its previous activities, the group is offering free decryption software to all companies that have been impacted by its ransomware. The goal is to ensure that these organizations can recover their encrypted data without the burden of paying ransoms.
The Hunters International gang's decision to shut down and offer free decryption keys may be seen as a goodwill gesture, but it also raises questions about the motivations behind the group's actions. Was this decision made to avoid law enforcement agencies or to simply exit the market?
Regardless of the reasons behind its shutdown, the Hunters International gang's decision has significant implications for those who were affected by its ransomware attacks. The group's offer of free decryption keys is a welcome move, but it also raises questions about the reliability and effectiveness of these tools.
Experts warn that while the decryption keys may be able to recover some encrypted data, they are not a guarantee of success. The key to successful decryption lies in understanding the encryption method used by the Hunters International gang and being able to apply it correctly.
In conclusion, the shutdown of the Hunters International ransomware gang marks a significant shift in the threat landscape. While the group's offer of free decryption keys is a welcome move, it also raises questions about its motivations and the effectiveness of these tools. As cybersecurity experts continue to monitor the situation, one thing is clear: this development has significant implications for those who were affected by the Hunters International gang's ransomware attacks.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Hunters-International-Ransomware-Gang-Shuts-Down-A-New-Era-in-Cybersecurity-ehn.shtml
https://securityaffairs.com/179667/cyber-crime/hunters-international-ransomware-gang-shuts-down-and-offers-free-decryption-keys-to-all-victims.html
Published: Sun Jul 6 09:54:15 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
