Table of Contents
PLAY ransomware, also known as PlayCrypt, is a significant cyber threat that emerged in June 2022. This ransomware family employs a double extortion tactic, encrypting victims' files and threatening to publish exfiltrated data on a public Tor leak site if the ransom is not paid. This article, part of the #StopRansomware initiative and a joint effort by the FBI, CISA, and ASD's ACSC (Australian Cyber Security Centre), serves as a technical guide for security professionals, detailing PLAY's origins, tactics, targets, and most importantly, defensive strategies. It is reported that this group has approximately affected 300 entities across North America, South America, and Europe, as of October 2023. For staying informed about the latest ransomware threats, it is important to leverage threat intelligence.
Origins & Evolution
PLAY ransomware was first observed in June 2022. While no definitive attribution to a specific nation-state has been made, some security researchers have noted similarities between PLAY's encryption techniques and those used by other ransomware groups like Hive and Nokoyawa, leading to speculation of possible, although unconfirmed, Russian connections. Also, Security experts believe that the group is closed for business to keep their tasks secret.
PLAY ransomware's evolution has been marked by its adoption of increasingly sophisticated techniques. Initially, PLAY relied on known vulnerabilities for initial access. Over time, the group has expanded its toolkit, incorporating more advanced methods for lateral movement, defense evasion, and data exfiltration. This includes the use of "Living Off The Land" binaries (LOLBins), intermittent encryption to evade detection, and a range of commodity and custom tools. The development of a Linux variant targeting VMware ESXi environments in late 2023 demonstrates PLAY's ongoing adaptation and expansion of its target scope. Staying updated about new features in operating systems is crucial for cybersecurity.
Tactics & Techniques
PLAY ransomware's operations follow a well-defined pattern, aligning with the MITRE ATT&CK framework (v14). Here's a breakdown of their key tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs):
Initial Access: PLAY primarily gains initial access through two main vectors:
Exploitation of Public-Facing Applications (T1190): PLAY actively exploits known vulnerabilities, particularly in:
FortiOS (CVE-2018-13379 and CVE-2020-12812)
Microsoft Exchange (ProxyNotShell - CVE-2022-41040 and CVE-2022-41082)
Abuse of Valid Accounts (T1078): PLAY leverages compromised or stolen credentials, often targeting external-facing services like RDP and VPN (T1133). This could involve brute-forcing, credential stuffing, or purchasing credentials on underground forums. Understanding what is brute force is essential for preventing such attacks.
Discovery and Defense Evasion: Once inside the network, PLAY uses several tools for reconnaissance and to disable security measures:
AdFind (TA0007): Used for Active Directory queries to map the network and identify targets.
Grixba: An information stealer used to gather network information (T1016, T1518.001).
GMER, IOBit, PowerTool: Used to disable anti-virus software (T1562.001).
PowerShell Scripts: Specifically target Microsoft Defender to weaken defenses.
Log File Removal (T1070.001): Attempts to cover its tracks by deleting log files.
Lateral Movement & Execution: PLAY uses a combination of tools and techniques to spread across the network and execute its payload:
Cobalt Strike and SystemBC: Used for command and control (C2).
PsExec: A legitimate system administration tool abused for remote execution.
Search for Unsecured Credentials (T1552): Looks for stored passwords or other credentials to gain access to additional systems.
Mimikatz (T1003): A well-known credential dumping tool used to obtain domain administrator access.
WinPEAS (T1059): Used for privilege escalation.
Group Policy Objects (GPO) (T1484.001): Distributes executables across the network.
Nekto/PriviCMD: Another tool to collect system data.
Process Hacker and Plink: Further adds to system compromise and persistence.
Exfiltration & Encryption: PLAY exfiltrates data before encrypting it:
WinRAR (T1560.001): Compresses files into .RAR archives for exfiltration.
WinSCP (T1048): Used for data transfer, likely to a C2 server.
AES-RSA Hybrid Encryption: Uses a combination of AES and RSA encryption for robust data locking.
Intermittent Encryption (T1486): A key feature, encrypting only portions of files (every other 0x100000 bytes) to evade some detection systems.
Skips System Files: Avoids encrypting critical system files to keep the system partially operational and able to display the ransom note.
".play" Extension: Adds the distinctive ".play" extension to encrypted files.
Ransom Note: The ransom note, named
ReadMe[.]txtis placed in the root directory(C:) and contains the word "PLAY" and an email address (@gmx[.]de) for the victim to initiate contact. There is typically no initial ransom demand provided.
Impact:
Double Extortion (T1657): The core tactic – encrypting data and threatening to publish it on a Tor leak site.
Ransom Payment: Demands payment in cryptocurrency. Understanding cryptocurrency and how it works is important in today's world.
Leveraged Tools (Partial List - based on CSA Table 1):
| Tool | Legitimate Purpose | Abuse by PLAY |
|---|---|---|
| AdFind | Active Directory query tool | Network reconnaissance, target identification |
| Bloodhound | Active Directory security analysis tool | Identifying attack paths and privilege escalation opportunities |
| Cobalt Strike | Penetration testing framework | Command and control, lateral movement |
| Mimikatz | Credential dumping tool | Obtaining domain administrator access |
| PsExec | Remote execution tool | Executing commands and deploying payloads on remote systems |
| WinRAR | File compression utility | Compressing data for exfiltration |
| WinSCP | Secure file transfer client | Exfiltrating data to attacker-controlled servers |
| PowerShell | Command-line shell and scripting language | Executing commands, disabling security features (e.g., Defender), running malicious scripts |
| Gmer | Rootkit Detector | Disabling AV solutions and services |
| Iobit | System utility | Disabling AV solutions and services |
| PowerTool | System utility | Disabling AV solutions and services |
| Microsoft Nltest | System utility | Network Discovery |
Targets or Victimology
PLAY ransomware has demonstrated a broad targeting strategy, impacting organizations across various sectors and geographic regions. While initially observed targeting organizations in Latin America, PLAY's reach has expanded significantly.
Industry Sectors: PLAY has targeted a diverse range of industries, including, but not limited to:
Medical
Financial
Manufacturing
Real Estate
Educational Institutions
Critical Infrastructure (e.g., supply chain vendors)
Governmental institutions
Geographic Regions: PLAY's operations have been observed globally, with a particular focus on:
United States
Brazil
Argentina
Germany
Belgium
Switzerland
Australia
Political/Financial Motivations: PLAY ransomware is primarily motivated by financial gain, employing double extortion tactics to maximize profits. While no direct political motivations have been definitively established, the targeting of critical infrastructure and government entities suggests a potential willingness to disrupt operations for financial or potentially strategic advantage.
Potential Impact: PLAY ransomware attacks can have severe consequences, including:
Data Breach: Exfiltration of sensitive data, leading to potential privacy violations, reputational damage, and regulatory fines.
Operational Disruption: Encryption of critical systems and data, causing significant downtime and disruption to business operations.
Financial Loss: Ransom payments, recovery costs, and potential loss of revenue.
Supply Chain Disruption: Attacks on third-party vendors can have cascading effects, impacting multiple organizations. Organizations must be aware of supply chain attack.
Attack Campaigns
Here are some of the notable attack campaigns attributed to the PLAY ransomware group.
Argentine Judiciary of Córdoba (2022): A major early attack that highlighted PLAY's capabilities.
Neue Zürcher Zeitung / CH-Media (Switzerland, 2023): This attack compromised a Swiss newspaper and its service provider, leading to the theft of data belonging to over 400,000 Swiss citizens living abroad.
Valais Community (Switzerland, 2023): Another attack targeting a Swiss community.
Swiss Federal Administration IT Service Provider (May/June 2023): This attack resulted in the theft of confidential data, including financial and tax information, affecting various state-owned companies.
Blue Yonder (November 2024): A significant attack targeting a major supply chain management solutions provider, disrupting operations for several large companies. This attack highlighted the potential for supply chain disruptions.
Jumpy Pisces Collaboration (May-September 2024): Unit 42 observed a potential collaboration with the North Korean state-sponsored group Jumpy Pisces, where Jumpy Pisces likely acted as an initial access broker or affiliate, using Sliver and DTrack malware before deploying Play ransomware. This marked a potential shift in Jumpy Pisces' tactics, suggesting a move towards leveraging existing ransomware infrastructure. The Lazarus Group is also known for their cyber activities.
VMware ESXi Targeting (Late 2023): The emergence of a Linux variant targeting VMware ESXi environments significantly broadened PLAY's potential victim pool and demonstrated its ongoing evolution. For Linux security, understanding file ownership is vital.
Defenses
Combating PLAY ransomware requires a multi-layered approach, focusing on prevention, detection, and response. Here are key defensive strategies:
Vulnerability Management:
Prioritize patching known vulnerabilities, especially those known to be exploited by PLAY (e.g., FortiOS, Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities).
Maintain a robust vulnerability scanning and patching program.
Keep all software and operating systems up-to-date. A solid patch management strategy is critical for reducing risk.
Account Security:
Enforce strong password policies (length, complexity, regular changes).
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all user accounts, especially for remote access and privileged accounts.
Disable or restrict the use of unnecessary services and protocols (e.g., RDP).
Regularly audit and review user accounts and permissions.
Network Security:
Implement network segmentation to limit the lateral movement of attackers.
Deploy and maintain firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS).
Monitor network traffic for suspicious activity, including communication with known C2 servers.
Implement strong email security gateways to filter out phishing emails and malicious attachments. Consider the usage of sender policy framework to secure email communications.
Endpoint Security:
Deploy and maintain endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block malicious activity.
Ensure anti-malware software is up-to-date and configured to detect known ransomware variants.
Consider using application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized software execution.
Data Backup and Recovery:
Implement a robust backup and recovery plan, including regular offsite and offline backups.
Test backups regularly to ensure their integrity and recoverability.
Ensure backups are protected from encryption by ransomware.
Security Awareness Training:
Train employees to recognize and report phishing emails and other social engineering tactics.
Conduct regular security awareness training to educate users about ransomware threats and best practices. Organizations should conduct phishing simulation.
Incident Response:
Develop and test an incident response plan to handle ransomware attacks effectively.
Establish clear communication channels and roles and responsibilities for incident response.
Consider engaging with a cybersecurity firm for incident response support. A strong cyber incident response plan is necessary for effective handling of attacks.
Leverage Threat Intelligence:
Utilize threat intelligence feeds and platforms (like the #StopRansomware initiative) to stay informed about the latest ransomware threats, TTPs, and IOCs.
Use IOCs (e.g., file hashes, IP addresses, domain names) to detect and block PLAY ransomware activity. Understanding indicator of compromise helps in threat detection.
Secure by Design: Advocate for software manufacturers to adopt secure-by-design and -default principles.
Reporting: Report incidents promptly to the FBI, CISA, or your local cyber security authority. Do not encourage paying the ransom, as it does not guarantee data recovery and funds further criminal activity.
Conclusion
PLAY ransomware presents a significant and evolving threat to organizations worldwide. Its double extortion tactics, combined with its use of sophisticated techniques for initial access, lateral movement, and defense evasion, make it a formidable adversary. By understanding PLAY's origins, TTPs, and target profile, and by implementing the comprehensive defensive strategies outlined in this article, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of falling victim to this dangerous ransomware. Continuous vigilance, proactive security measures, and a commitment to staying informed about the latest threats are crucial for effectively combating PLAY and other ransomware groups. Companies should prioritize security logging for better detection.
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Arun KL
Arun KL is a cybersecurity professional with 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud security, vulnerability management, Penetration Testing, security operations, and incident response. He is adept at designing and implementing robust security solutions to safeguard systems and data. Arun holds multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNA Security, RHCE, CEH, and AWS Security.
- March 17, 2025
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