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Ransomware Victim Energy

Hazel Mercantile

Ransomware attack by Kairos · Disclosed December 8, 2025 · 🇮🇳 India

hazelmercantile.com

Date Disclosed
Dec 8, 2025
2025
Threat Group
Kairos
97 total victims
Country
🇮🇳 India
Industry
Energy

ThreatAI Analysis

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

About the Kairos group

Kairos is a data extortion group active since late 2024 that focuses solely on data theft with no encryption, primarily targeting small-to-mid-sized organizations in healthcare, manufacturing, and business services in the US, purchasing initial access from brokers and demanding Bitcoin payments. Kairos has listed 95 victims since June 2024.

Incident Analysis

Hazel Mercantile was targeted by Kairos ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 97 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on December 8, 2025, when Hazel Mercantile appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Hazel Mercantile is based in India , operating in the Energy sector. India ranks #8 globally for ransomware attacks, with 458 victims in our database.

Sector context: Energy sector attacks can have critical infrastructure implications. Ransomware on operational technology (OT) networks can disrupt power generation and distribution, elevating the urgency of recovery.

Kairos 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 18, 2026 00:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Hazel Mercantile attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Hazel Mercantile was listed as a victim of the Kairos ransomware group on December 8, 2025. The organisation is based in India and operates in the Energy sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Hazel Mercantile?

Hazel Mercantile was attacked by Kairos ransomware. Kairos is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 97 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Hazel Mercantile ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Hazel Mercantile was disclosed on December 8, 2025. 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 Hazel Mercantile ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Hazel Mercantile 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 Energy organisation, Hazel Mercantile likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Kairos attacks?

To defend against Kairos 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.