Flash Notice: Attackers Abuse Velociraptor - Open-Source Tool Used in Targeted Ransomware Campaigns

introduction

Cisco Talos has confirmed that ransomware operators are weaponizing Velociraptor, an open-source digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) tool, to aid in the deployment and management of ransomware attacks. This development highlights not just the adaptability of cybercriminals but also the ongoing risks associated with legitimate security tools leveraged for malicious purposes.

Timeline and Incident Overview

• The abuse of Velociraptor by ransomware actors was uncovered and reported by Cisco Talos on November 7, 2024.
• The campaigns observed align with recent trends where adversaries use legitimate IT and security software as part of their attack toolchain to evade detection.
• The observed tactics notably occurred in the context of "big-game hunting" and double extortion ransomware operations, techniques that extract maximum leverage and profit from targeted organizations.

technical breakdown: How velociraptor was used

• Velociraptor, typically employed by defenders for threat hunting, incident response, and digital forensics, was repurposed by attackers to execute post-exploitation activities.
• Attackers leveraged Velociraptor’s remote execution and file management features to move laterally, harvest data, enumerate networks, and execute malicious payloads—including ransomware binaries—across compromised systems.
• Its legitimate origins and flexibility made detection more difficult, as many monitoring systems overlook such tools if used by authorized accounts.
• The tool enabled threat actors to automate artifact collection and system reconnaissance, greatly increasing the speed and stealth of environment-wide compromise.

impacted systems and organizations

• The target profile represented by "big-game hunting" suggests a focus on enterprises and large organizations where significant financial and operational leverage can be found.
• While specific victim identities are not disclosed, target environments likely include those with weak internal segmentation or insufficient monitoring for legitimate tool abuse.
• Use of standard IT tools like Velociraptor increases the risk to any organization employing these solutions without enhanced monitoring or least-privilege controls.

prevalance of tool abuse in ransomware operations

• Velociraptor's abuse reflects a broader trend of attackers using legitimate remote access and management tools—including IT management, security, and forensic utilities—to evade detection and increase operational efficiency.
• This tactic is not unique to Velociraptor; other tools commonly abused include Cobalt Strike, AnyDesk, and legitimate PowerShell frameworks.
• Such abuse underscores the challenge defenders face in distinguishing sanctioned activity from threat actor operations, especially in environments with inadequate logging or behavioral analysis.

mitigation and prevention strategies

• Staff Awareness and Training: Training employees to recognize vishing and suspicious IT requests remains critical, as attackers focus on exploiting human behavior over technical vulnerabilities.
• Stricter Control of Connected Apps: Implementing least privilege access, rigorous app approval processes, elimination of unnecessary third-party integrations, and real-time monitoring for atypical app behavior are recommended controls.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA for all administrative accounts and sensitive access points is advised to limit credential-based attacks.
• Incident Response Coordination: Immediate revocation of OAuth tokens, audit of Salesforce access logs, and engagement with law enforcement (such as the FBI) for coordinated response and threat intelligence sharing
• Vendor Guidance: Salesforce and Google have released detailed guidance for restricting connected apps, monitoring user permissions, and auditing user activity to prevent reoccurrence.

background information

• Enhanced Monitoring: Organizations should monitor for abnormal use of legitimate tools, focusing on behavioral analytics and alerting for unusual remote administration activities.
• Least-Privilege Access: Limit administrative tool usage to explicit, documented workflows. Implement strong access controls and network segmentation.
• Application Allowlisting: Restrict execution of non-standard tools and scripts.
• Incident Response Readiness: Regularly test and update detection logic for legitimate tool misuse, and ensure quick response playbooks are in effect.
• User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA): Leverage security technologies that baseline normal behavior and identify anomalies indicative of malicious activity.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

• Cisco Talos Blog – Velociraptor leveraged in ransomware attacks
• Cisco Talos Blog – Michael Szeliga articles, including coverage of Interlock ransomware
• Cisco Talos Blog – Aliza Johnson articles, cross-reference of “Velociraptor leveraged” and Interlock incidents
• Cisco Talos Blog – Stopping ransomware before it starts
• Cisco Talos Intelligence – Threat intelligence portal and related blog resources