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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Business Services

Cell C

Listed by Ransomhouse on · organisation based in South Africa

cellc.co.za

Disclosed
Dec 28, 2024
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Ransomhouse
159 victims listed
Country
South Africa
#31 most targeted
Sector
Business Services

ThreatAI analysis

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

About the Ransomhouse group

RansomHouse is a double-extortion RaaS operation active since late 2021, attributed to the threat actor "Jolly Scorpius," targeting over 120 organizations across healthcare, finance, transportation, and government, recently upgrading to a multi-layered dual-key encryption architecture. Ransomhouse has listed 212 victims since June 2021.

Incident analysis

Cell C was listed by Ransomhouse ransomware, a group with 159 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on December 28, 2024.

Cell C is based in South Africa and operates in the Business Services sector. South Africa ranks #31 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 112 victims in this database.

Sector context. Business services firms often have access to multiple client environments, making them high-value pivot points for ransomware operators seeking to maximise impact across multiple victim organisations.

Ransomhouse typically follows a double extortion model: data is exfiltrated from the victim's systems before files are encrypted, so the victim faces two demands at once — pay to restore access, and pay to keep stolen data unpublished. The leak site, where this listing appeared, is the lever for the second demand.

Source. Public leak-site disclosures aggregated via the ransomware.live API. The disclosure date is when the listing was published, which can differ from the date of compromise. This site does not publish or link to stolen data. Last updated .

Frequently asked questions

Was Cell C attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Cell C was listed as a victim of the Ransomhouse ransomware group on December 28, 2024. The organisation is based in South Africa and operates in the Business Services sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Cell C?

Cell C was attacked by Ransomhouse ransomware. Ransomhouse is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 159 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Cell C ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Cell C was disclosed on December 28, 2024. 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 Cell C ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Cell C 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 Business Services organisation, Cell C likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Ransomhouse attacks?

To defend against Ransomhouse 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.