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DeadLock Ransomware Uses Polygon Blockchain to Harden Extortion Infra

2026-08-12 11:57 UTC · The Hacker News · read the source ↗ #ransomware#blockchain#c2-evasion
  • Engineer — Learn: No patch or config action required, but this technique — using decentralized blockchain services instead of traditional C2 — changes how defenders should think about network egress controls and ransomware resilience. Review whether your environment restricts outbound connections to blockchain RPCs and the Session messaging network.
  • SOC/IR — Plan: DeadLock’s use of Polygon smart contracts and Session protocol for victim comms creates a new detection surface; build or tune detections for Session network traffic and Polygon RPC calls originating from endpoints and servers, and add this TTP to ransomware hunt playbooks this quarter.
  • Leader — Learn: Ransomware groups adopting decentralized infrastructure reduces the effectiveness of traditional law-enforcement takedowns, which has implications for incident response assumptions and cyber-insurance negotiations around extortion scenarios — useful context for the next IR retainer or insurance renewal discussion.
This entry was curated and judged by AI (Claude) with automated enrichment (CISA KEV / EPSS / public PoC). Verify against the original source before acting. Found a bad verdict? Report it — confirmed errors go to the corrections log.