Ransomware , Threat Intelligence Operation Cronos dismantled LockBit ransomware group by undermining affiliate trust July 28, 2026 Share By SC Staff As reported by Dark Reading, Operation Cronos, a significant international law enforcement effort, successfully dismantled LockBit, once one of the most dominant ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operations globally. The operation's success was attributed to a multi-faceted strategy that targeted not only the group's infrastructure but also its core business model built on affiliate trust. LockBit operated from 2020 to 2024, victimizing over 2,500 organizations worldwide and extorting more than $500 million in ransom payments. The FBI, in collaboration with the UK's National Crime Agency, Europol, and ten other international partners, executed Operation Cronos in February 2024. This operation seized LockBit's infrastructure, including its leak site, control panels, and source code. A key strategy involved eroding the trust between LockBit and its nearly 200 affiliates by exposing them on the group's own leak site and revealing instances where LockBit failed to uphold its promises of anonymity and data deletion. This tactic aimed to cripple the RaaS model, which relies heavily on maintaining affiliate confidence. The disruption has significantly degraded LockBit's impact and credibility, leading to a substantial decrease in its ransomware attacks and altering the ransomware landscape by removing a single dominant force. Source: Dark Reading An In-Depth Guide to Ransomware Get essential knowledge and practical strategies to protect your organization from ransomware attacks. Learn More SC Staff Related Malware Italian organizations targeted by 148 ransomware attacks in first half of 2026 SC Staff July 28, 2026 Italian organizations faced 148 confirmed ransomware attacks in the first half of 2026, with the manufacturing sector being the most frequently targeted. Malware Malicious Steam workshop map delivered malware to MECCHA CHAMELEON players SC Staff July 28, 2026 As outlined in Cyber Insider, a malicious Steam Workshop map for the game MECCHA CHAMELEON exploited a vulnerability in the game's mod-loading system to deliver malware to players' computers. Ransomware Steam forums used for ClickFix cryptominer attacks SC Staff July 27, 2026 In a report by Bleeping Computer, threat actors are exploiting Steam discussion forums to distribute cryptominers through a social engineering tactic known as ClickFix. Related Events Cybercast Ransomware reloaded: Finding resilience when attackers wield AI On-Demand Event Virtual Conference Ransomware Resilience: Strategies to Defend, Mitigate, and Recover On-Demand Event Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe Related Terms Account Harvesting Deauthentication Attack Defacement Dictionary Attack Distributed Scans Domain Hijacking Google Hacking Hybrid Attack Information Warfare Password Cracking You can skip this ad in 5 seconds