Cyber Threat Intelligence
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Ransomware Victim Public Sector

associated.org

Ransomware attack by Lockbit5 · Disclosed February 23, 2026 · 🇺🇸 United States

associated.org

Date Disclosed
Feb 23, 2026
2026
Threat Group
Lockbit5
354 total victims
Country
🇺🇸 United States
Industry
Public Sector

ThreatAI Analysis

Compiled from this incident record and the threat intelligence profile for Lockbit5. Figures and technique mappings are quoted from the source data, not inferred.

About the Lockbit5 group

LockBit 5.0 ("ChuongDong") emerged in September 2025 as the group's resurgence following the February 2024 law enforcement takedown, introducing cross-platform payloads targeting Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi with enhanced evasion capabilities and continuing the RaaS affiliate model of its predecessors. Lockbit5 has listed 330 victims since April 2023.

Incident Analysis

associated.org was targeted by Lockbit5 ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 354 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on February 23, 2026, when associated.org appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

associated.org is based in United States , operating in the Public Sector sector. United States ranks #1 globally for ransomware attacks, with 9,415 victims in our database.

Sector context: Organisations in this sector hold valuable data and operational systems that ransomware groups seek to exploit for financial gain through encryption and data exfiltration.

Lockbit5 typically employs a double extortion model: first exfiltrating sensitive data from the victim's systems, then deploying ransomware to encrypt files. Victims face two simultaneous threats — paying to restore access and paying to prevent publication of stolen data. The group's leak site publishes victim names and exfiltrated data as leverage.

Data source: This incident record is sourced from public ransomware group leak site disclosures aggregated via the ransomware.live API. Disclosure date reflects when the victim was published on the leak site, which may differ from the initial date of compromise. This platform does not publish or link to stolen data. Last data update: Sep 5, 2026 16:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was associated.org attacked by ransomware?

Yes. associated.org was listed as a victim of the Lockbit5 ransomware group on February 23, 2026. The organisation is based in United States and operates in the Public Sector sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked associated.org?

associated.org was attacked by Lockbit5 ransomware. Lockbit5 is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 354 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the associated.org ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on associated.org was disclosed on February 23, 2026. This date reflects when the victim was published on the threat group's leak site, which may differ from the actual date of initial compromise.

What data was stolen in the associated.org ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from associated.org has not been independently verified by this platform. Ransomware groups typically exfiltrate data before encrypting systems and use the threat of publication to pressure victims. As a Public Sector organisation, associated.org likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Lockbit5 attacks?

To defend against Lockbit5 and similar threat actors, organisations should: maintain regular offline backups tested for restoration; implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement; deploy multi-factor authentication on all remote access; use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools; conduct regular phishing and security awareness training; and monitor threat intelligence feeds for indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with active groups.