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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Manufacturing

Merrill Iron & Steel

Listed by Payoutsking on · organisation based in United States

merrillsteel.com

Disclosed
Oct 9, 2026
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Payoutsking
114 victims listed
Country
United States
#1 most targeted
Sector
Manufacturing

ThreatAI analysis

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

Payoutsking, an active ransomware group listed 112 victims as of September 2026, recently published Merrill Iron & Steel's sensitive data on its dark web leak site on October 9, 2026. Merrill Iron & Steel is based in the United States and operates within the Manufacturing sector.

About the Payoutsking group

PayoutsKing is an active ransomware group observed through at least 2026 that has claimed attacks against a wide range of industries internationally — including Del Monte Foods and V. FRAAS — across the US, UK, Germany, and Ireland using standard double-extortion tactics. Payoutsking has listed 112 victims since April 2025.

Incident analysis

Merrill Iron & Steel was listed by Payoutsking ransomware, a group with 114 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on October 9, 2026.

Merrill Iron & Steel is based in United States and operates in the Manufacturing sector. United States ranks #1 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 9,972 victims in this database.

Sector context. Manufacturing companies are frequently targeted because production downtime directly translates to financial loss. Ransomware operators exploit this time-sensitivity to demand higher ransoms and faster payment.

Payoutsking 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files are encrypted, so the victim faces two demands at once — pay to restore access, and pay to keep stolen data unpublished.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 Merrill Iron & Steel attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Merrill Iron & Steel was listed as a victim of the Payoutsking ransomware group on October 9, 2026. The organisation is based in United States and operates in the Manufacturing sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Merrill Iron & Steel?

Merrill Iron & Steel was attacked by Payoutsking ransomware. Payoutsking is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 114 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Merrill Iron & Steel ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Merrill Iron & Steel was disclosed on October 9, 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 Merrill Iron & Steel ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Merrill Iron & Steel 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 Manufacturing organisation, Merrill Iron & Steel likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Payoutsking attacks?

To defend against Payoutsking 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.