Benetton Group Targeted by Ransomware Gang Hunters International

The Benetton Group has allegedly been attacked by the ransomware gang Hunters International. The cybercriminals claim to have exfiltrated 433GB of data. Hunters International listed Benetton on its leak site on 3 April. The gang says ten files containing 33.8MB of Clients’ data will be disclosed after one day and 16 hours. No data samples are provided, nor are any threats listed.

Benetton Group is one of the world’s best-known fashion companies and is based in Ponzano Veneto, Italy. The network has about 4,000 stores and more than 6000 employees worldwide.

Hunters International's Emergence and Tactics

Hunters International, a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group, emerged in Q3 of 2023 after the discovery of source code bearing resemblances to the infamous Hive ransomware strain. In October 2023, a security researcher's analysis of the ransomware used by Hunters revealed significant code overlaps with Hive ransomware. Subsequent analysis by Bitdefender came to the same findings, leading researchers to conclude that Hive operators have handed off their malicious tool to another threat actor. Despite this, Hunters International has denied any ties to the Hive operation.

Intelligence suggests that Hunters International ransomware primarily aims to exfiltrate target data and extort victims with ransom demands for its return. One reported incident involved a plastic surgery clinic in the US, where approximately 248,000 files, including patient names and addresses, were exfiltrated. The ransomware encrypts files with the ".LOCKED" extension and leaves "Contact Us.txt" files in directories, instructing victims on how to initiate negotiation on the dark web.

Successful exploitation by Hunters International typically results in significant data exfiltration prior to issuing a ransom demand, often tailored to the perceived value of the compromised organization.