In a recent advisory, CISA and the FBI sounded the alarm on the Akira ransomware group, warning that its tactics are rapidly changing — and not for the better. According to MeriTalk, Akira has claimed over $244 million in ransom payments, making it one of the most financially devastating ransomware operators today. Originally active since 2023, it has aggressively targeted small and medium-sized businesses across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, IT, education, finance, food and agriculture.
Their playbook is increasingly sophisticated: the group now deploys multiple ransomware variants, including Megazord (Rust-based) and Akira_v2, and they operate across different system architectures — from Windows to VMware ESXi to Nutanix AHV. They also use legitimate administrative tools like AnyDesk, LogMeIn, RDP, and SSH for lateral movement, and leverage tunneling tools such as Ngrok to establish stealthy command-and-control channels.
Perhaps most concerning is how quickly they exfiltrate data: in some incidents, critical data was sent out in just two hours after initial access. Once they’ve got what they want, Akira executes double extortion — encrypting data and threatening to publish stolen files on a Tor-based leak site unless victims pay up.
When defenders operate under a “detect and respond” model, they rely heavily on identifying threats or anomalies, then reacting — often after damage has begun. But with Akira’s advanced tactics, that playbook is no longer enough:
Living-off-the-land tools: By using legitimate remote-access tools like AnyDesk, LogMeIn, and MobaXterm, Akira blends malicious behavior into normal-looking admin activity.
Evasion of security software: The group disables or bypasses security agents, including antivirus and EDR, making detection harder.
Rapid exfiltration + encryption: The speed at which they move — getting in, stealing data, encrypting — leaves little room for traditional response to fully mitigate damage.
Multiple variants, multiple platforms: Their adaptability — writing encryptors in different languages (Rust and C++) for different systems — compounds the challenge for standard defenses.
In short: by the time detection happens, Akira may already be deep inside your network, with data leaking out or encrypted.
This is where a fundamentally different security philosophy can make all the difference: isolation and containment.
Rather than waiting to spot malicious behavior, AppGuard proactively restricts what applications can do, limiting their ability to execute unauthorized actions, even if they already exist on your system.
Here’s why this approach is a game-changer against threats like Akira:
Prevent lateral movement: By isolating processes, AppGuard stops ransomware from using legitimate tools to jump across your network.
Block unauthorized encryption: Even if a malicious binary runs, it cannot encrypt or modify critical files beyond its allowed scope.
Resist evasion: Since AppGuard operates below typical antivirus or EDR layers, techniques Akira uses to disable security software are far less effective.
Minimal performance impact: Because it doesn’t rely on heavy signature scanning or continuous behavioral analysis, AppGuard imposes very low overhead.
With over 10 years of proven endpoint protection in mission-critical environments, AppGuard brings enterprise-grade resilience to commercial businesses — making it a powerful countermeasure to modern ransomware threats.
Given the risks posed by Akira, here’s a concrete action plan:
Patch aggressively: Address known vulnerabilities — especially VPN appliances like Cisco ASA, and backup platforms like Veeam and SonicWall — that Akira is actively exploiting.
Enforce multifactor authentication (MFA): Make sure all remote access systems require MFA, especially for VPN and RDP.
Implement network segmentation: Limit what systems talk to which, to reduce the blast radius of a breach.
Adopt an isolation-based defense: Deploy a solution like AppGuard to contain any malicious activity before it spreads or causes damage.
Back up data safely: Maintain robust, off-line or immutable backups so you are resilient even if encryption occurs.
Ransomware isn’t just a risk — it’s a present and evolving threat. The recent CISA/FBI update on Akira ransomware is a stark reminder that sophisticated adversaries are targeting businesses of all sizes, and operating in ways that evade traditional detection.
If you’re a business owner or decision-maker, it’s time to move beyond “detect and respond.” You need to ensure your security approach is resilient enough to isolate and contain threats before they can do serious harm.
At CHIPS, we specialize in helping organizations strengthen their cyber defenses with AppGuard, a proven isolation-first endpoint protection solution. Reach out to us today — let’s talk about how AppGuard can safeguard your business from the kind of evolving tactics we’re now seeing from Akira.
Contact us at CHIPS to schedule a consultation, and make the shift to a containment-first security strategy.
By taking proactive steps now — backed by the right technology and mindset — your business can dramatically reduce its risk of falling victim to ransomware like Akira. Let’s make that shift together.
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