Federal Agencies Issue Urgent Warning About Medusa Ransomware Targeting Critical Infrastructure

Federal authorities have issued an urgent cybersecurity advisory warning organizations about Medusa ransomware, which has already claimed over 300 victims across critical infrastructure sectors. This sophisticated threat employs multiple attack vectors and extortion techniques that pose serious risks to organizations of all sizes. Let’s break down what you need to know about this threat and how to protect your business.

   The Federal Warning

On March 12, 2025, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) released a joint cybersecurity advisory titled “#StopRansomware: Medusa Ransomware.” The advisory details the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by Medusa ransomware operators, along with indicators of compromise (IOCs) and recommended mitigation strategies.

The federal agencies emphasized the immediate threat posed by Medusa, urging organizations to implement recommended security measures without delay to reduce their risk of falling victim to these attacks.

 What is Medusa Ransomware?

Medusa is a sophisticated ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) variant that first emerged in June 2021. Unlike some other ransomware operations, Medusa initially operated as a closed system where all development and operations were controlled by a single group. Though it has since evolved to an affiliate model (where other cybercriminals can deploy the ransomware for a cut of the profits), the core developers still maintain central control over key operations such as ransom negotiations.

Key characteristics of Medusa ransomware include:

• Double Extortion Model: Medusa encrypts victims’ data and also exfiltrates it, threatening to publish stolen information if ransom demands aren’t met.
• Professional Operation: The group maintains a data leak site on the dark web where they publish countdown timers for victim data releases and advertise stolen data for sale.
• Sophisticated Techniques: Medusa actors use a variety of living-off-the-land techniques and legitimate remote access tools to evade detection while moving through victim networks.
• Possible Triple Extortion: The FBI identified at least one case where a victim who paid the ransom was subsequently contacted by another Medusa actor claiming that the negotiator had stolen the initial payment, demanding an additional payment for the “true decryptor.”

 Industries Impacted by Medusa

According to the federal advisory, as of February 2025, Medusa has compromised over 300 organizations across various critical infrastructure sectors, including:

• Healthcare and medical facilities
• Educational institutions
• Legal services providers
• Insurance companies
• Technology firms
• Manufacturing facilities

No industry appears to be immune to Medusa’s attacks, and organizations of all sizes have been targeted.

 How Medusa Attacks Work

The Medusa operation typically begins with initial access brokers (IABs), who are recruited from cybercriminal forums and offered payments between $100 and $1 million to provide initial network access. These affiliates typically gain access through:

1. Phishing Campaigns: Sending deceptive emails to steal victim credentials
2. Vulnerability Exploitation: Targeting unpatched software like ScreenConnect (CVE-2024-1709) and Fortinet EMS (CVE-2023-48788)

Once inside a network, Medusa actors:

1. Use legitimate tools like Advanced IP Scanner and PowerShell for reconnaissance
2. Employ evasion techniques to avoid detection, including PowerShell obfuscation
3. Move laterally through the network using remote access tools like RDP, AnyDesk, and PsExec
4. Deploy the Rclone tool to exfiltrate sensitive data
5. Use the “gaze.exe” encryptor to terminate security services, delete shadow copies, and encrypt files with the .medusa extension
6. Demand payment within 48 hours via Tor browser chat or the Tox encrypted messaging platform

If victims don’t respond, Medusa actors will often reach out directly by phone or email to pressure payment. They even offer victims the option to pay $10,000 per day to extend the countdown timer for data publication.

 Recommended Mitigations

The federal advisory outlines several critical mitigation strategies to protect against Medusa ransomware:

Immediate Actions:

1. Patch Management: Ensure all operating systems, software, and firmware are up-to-date, prioritizing known exploited vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems.
2. Network Segmentation: Implement network segmentation to restrict lateral movement if one system is compromised.
3. Traffic Filtering: Filter network traffic to prevent unknown or untrusted sources from accessing remote services on internal systems.

 Additional Security Measures:

1. Multi-Factor Authentication: Require MFA for all services, especially webmail, VPNs, and accounts that access critical systems.
2. Strong Password Policies: Implement NIST-compliant password standards for all accounts.
3. Backup Strategy: Maintain offline, encrypted, and immutable backups covering your entire data infrastructure.
4. Principle of Least Privilege: Audit user accounts with administrative privileges and configure access controls according to the principle of least privilege.
5. Command Line Restrictions: Disable unnecessary command-line and scripting activities and permissions.
6. Port Management: Disable unused ports to reduce attack surface.
7. Network Monitoring: Implement tools that log and report all network traffic, particularly lateral movement.
8. VPN/Jump Host Requirements: Require VPNs or Jump Hosts for all remote access.

 How CinchOps Can Help Secure Your Business

Facing sophisticated threats like Medusa ransomware requires comprehensive cybersecurity measures that many organizations struggle to implement with limited resources. This is where CinchOps can provide critical support to protect your business:

1. Comprehensive Vulnerability Management: We provide continuous scanning and prioritized remediation of vulnerabilities that ransomware groups like Medusa frequently exploit.
2. Advanced Endpoint Protection: Our solutions go beyond traditional antivirus to detect and block the sophisticated techniques used by Medusa actors.
3. Network Segmentation Expertise: We can help design and implement effective network segmentation strategies that contain threats and prevent lateral movement.
4. Multi-Factor Authentication Deployment: Our team can deploy and manage MFA solutions across your organization to protect critical accounts.
5. Backup and Recovery Planning: We ensure your data remains secure with properly configured, tested backup systems that are resilient against ransomware attacks.
6. Security Monitoring and Incident Response: Our 24/7 monitoring identifies suspicious activity that could indicate a Medusa intrusion attempt, with rapid response capabilities to contain threats.
7. Security Awareness Training: We provide targeted training to help your employees recognize and avoid the phishing attempts that Medusa affiliates commonly use.
8. Compliance Management: Our team ensures your security controls align with relevant compliance frameworks and industry best practices.

Don’t wait until your organization becomes another Medusa statistic. Contact CinchOps today to schedule a security assessment and develop a tailored protection strategy against ransomware and other advanced cyber threats. Our experienced team is ready to help you implement the critical security measures recommended by federal agencies to keep your business safe in today’s dangerous digital environment.

Discover more about our enterprise-grade and business protecting cybersecurity services on our Cybersecurity page.

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