The BianLian Ransomware Gang's Attack on EDG Inc.

The BianLian ransomware gang has allegedly attacked EDG Inc. BianLian posted EDG Inc's details to its data leak site on June 3rd, claiming to have stolen 192GB of technical and project data. EDG Inc is an engineering solutions provider headquartered in Louisiana, USA. It was founded in 1982 and employs more than 400 people. EDG provides engineering and management expertise for a wide range of projects.

BianLian: A Notorious Cybercriminal Organization

BianLian is an infamous cybercriminal organization involved in the development and deployment of ransomware. Since June 2022, they have targeted various critical infrastructure sectors in the United States. Additionally, they have extended their attacks to include Australian critical infrastructure sectors, as well as professional services and property development domains.

Method of Attack

To gain unauthorized access to their victims' systems, the group exploits valid Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) credentials. They employ open-source tools and command-line scripts to carry out reconnaissance and gather credentials. Victim data is then extracted using File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Rclone, or Mega. Subsequently, the BianLian group proceeds to extort money from their victims by threatening to expose the obtained data unless a payment is made.

Evolution of Extortion Tactics

Initially, the group utilized a double-extortion approach, which involved encrypting victims' systems after data exfiltration. However, starting around January 2023, they primarily focused on data exfiltration-based extortion.