Play Ransomware Gang Attacks Geneva Software

The Play ransomware gang has attacked Geneva Software. Geneva Software is an accounting, distribution, and manufacturing software solutions provider headquartered in Virginia, USA. Play posted Geneva Software to its data leak site on July 7th but provided no further details.

Background on Play Ransomware

Play ransomware (aka PlayCrypt) is a newer ransomware group that emerged in the summer of 2022 with high-profile attacks on the City of Oakland, Argentina's Judiciary, and German hotel chain H-Hotels. Play has similarities to Hive ransomware and is known to leverage tools like Cobalt Strike for post-compromise lateral movement and SystemBC RAT for persistence, as well as Mimikatz and living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) techniques.

Technical Details

Play is an evolving RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service) platform known to exploit a known Exchange vulnerability (CVE-2022-41080 - patched by Microsoft in November of 2022) that allows them to leverage a second vulnerability with a ProxyNotShell exploit (CVE-2022-41082) even if a patch had been applied, which then allows the attackers to execute code on the systems remotely. Play leverages PowerTool to disable antivirus tools and security monitoring solutions.

Tactics and Demands

Play employs tactics similar to both Hive and Nokoyawa ransomware and also attempts double extortion by first exfiltrating victim data with the threat to post it on their leak website. There is little information on how much Play demands for a ransom, but they have made good on their threats to leak the data of those who refuse payment.