“No honor among thieves”: M&S hacking group starts turf war

A significant conflict has emerged within the world of cybercrime as the ransomware group responsible for recent attacks on prominent UK retailers, including Marks and Spencer, Harrods, and the Co-Op, engages in a turf war with rival factions. The group known as DragonForce, largely comprising Russian-speaking hackers, is reportedly clashing with its competitor, RansomHub, raising alarms among cybersecurity experts. This confrontation signals an escalation in the ongoing battle for dominance in the lucrative ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) market, with experts cautioning that it could lead to a rise in cyberattacks and increased risks for corporations. Companies may face the threat of being extorted by multiple groups simultaneously, heightening the dangers associated with cybercrime. Toby Lewis, the global head of threat analysis at Darktrace, commented on the cutthroat nature of the hacking community, stating, "There is no honor among thieves." He emphasized that many cybercriminal organizations are driven by a desire for recognition and competition, which could lead them to target the same businesses for extortion. Ransomware-as-a-service gangs operate by offering the necessary tools and infrastructure for infiltrating corporate systems and extracting financial gain. These groups thrive on the dark web, where they compete to attract affiliates—individuals looking to engage in cybercrime—like Scattered Spider, which has been linked to the M&S breach as well as a recent attack on Australian airline Qantas. The rift between DragonForce and RansomHub intensified after DragonForce rebranded itself as a "cartel" in March, expanding its service offerings and attracting more affiliates. Following this rebranding, RansomHub’s website was reportedly taken down with a message indicating a hostile takeover by DragonForce. In a retaliatory move, a member of RansomHub vandalized DragonForce’s site, branding them as "traitors," further escalating tensions in the cyber underworld.