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Wizard Spider

High ConfidenceCritical Threat

TrickBot Gang • UNC1878 • GOLD BLACKBURN • Grim Spider • DEV-0193

Wizard Spider is a sophisticated and financially motivated cybercrime group operating out of Russia. The group is known for its development and operation of the TrickBot banking trojan, which evolved into a delivery vehicle for other malware, most notably the Ryuk and Conti ransomware strains. Wizard Spider has been active since at least 2016 and is considered one of the most significant and prolific ransomware operators. Their operations are characterized by a high degree of professionalism and a clear organizational structure, enabling them to conduct large-scale and highly profitable attacks. The group's tactics have evolved over time, shifting from banking fraud to big-game hunting, where they target large enterprises and public institutions for multi-million dollar ransom payments. Wizard Spider is also known for its continuous development of new tools and techniques to evade detection and maximize the impact of their attacks. Their association with other prominent malware families like Emotet has further enhanced their capabilities, allowing for a multi-stage infection process that is difficult to defend against. The impact of Wizard Spider's activities has been substantial, causing significant financial losses and operational disruptions to a wide range of sectors globally. The group's decision to leak internal communications and data after initially supporting the ...

Origin: Russia
Sponsor: Cybercriminal (No State Sponsor)
Active: 2016 - Present
Victims: 2000+ organizations
Advanced
Active
Financial Gain
Risk Assessment
88
Composite Risk Score
Critical Risk
ARCS Compliance92
Escalation Risk90
Grievance Index75
Infrastructure Impact95
History & Evolution

Wizard Spider is a sophisticated and financially motivated cybercrime group operating out of Russia. The group is known for its development and operation of the TrickBot banking trojan, which evolved into a delivery vehicle for other malware, most notably the Ryuk and Conti ransomware strains. Wizard Spider has been active since at least 2016 and is considered one of the most significant and prolific ransomware operators. Their operations are characterized by a high degree of professionalism and a clear organizational structure, enabling them to conduct large-scale and highly profitable attacks. The group's tactics have evolved over time, shifting from banking fraud to big-game hunting, where they target large enterprises and public institutions for multi-million dollar ransom payments. Wizard Spider is also known for its continuous development of new tools and techniques to evade detection and maximize the impact of their attacks. Their association with other prominent malware families like Emotet has further enhanced their capabilities, allowing for a multi-stage infection process that is difficult to defend against. The impact of Wizard Spider's activities has been substantial, causing significant financial losses and operational disruptions to a wide range of sectors globally. The group's decision to leak internal communications and data after initially supporting the ...

Targeting

Target Sectors

HealthcareGovernmentEducationManufacturingAll Sectors

Target Regions

GlobalUnited StatesEurope
Attribution & Affiliations

Attributed to Cybercriminal (No State Sponsor) (Russia). Attribution confidence: High.

Intelligence Assessment
Critical
Threat Level
Moderately
Targeting
Moderately
Adaptability
Very High
Persistence
Periodic
Op Tempo
Active (Fragmented)
Status

Future Outlook

Wizard Spider is expected to continue operations targeting Healthcare sectors.

Timeline of Key Events
2016
Major

First observed activity of Wizard Spider

2024
Moderate

Continued active operations