The Akira ransomware group has launched over 250 attacks since March 2023, affecting global businesses and critical infrastructure primarily in North America, Europe, and Australia.

Victims have paid Akira more than $42 million in ransoms, with the group exploiting vulnerabilities in VPNs, VMware ESXi, RDP, spear phishing, and the misuse of valid credentials.

Major cybersecurity agencies like the FBI, CISA, NCSC-NL, and EC3 have collectively warned organizations to bolster their cyber defenses in light of these attacks.

SafeBreach responded by updating their system with new attack simulations and strategies to protect against the Akira ransomware, advising on data backups and security control validations.

The FBI also highlights a surge in cryptocurrency investment scams, with reported losses of $3.94 billion in 2023, cautioning investors about the lure of high returns in digital asset investments.