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Ransomware Victim

Smith Hawks

Ransomware attack by Worldleaks · Disclosed December 16, 2025 · 🇺🇸 United States

smithhawks.com

Date Disclosed
Dec 16, 2025
2025
Threat Group
Worldleaks
177 total victims
Country
🇺🇸 United States
Industry
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ThreatAI Analysis

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

About the Worldleaks group

World Leaks emerged in January 2025 as a rebrand of the Hunters International ransomware operation, shifting its focus from file encryption to solely stealing sensitive data and threatening to leak it unless a ransom is paid Worldleaks has listed 174 victims since June 2022.

Incident Analysis

Smith Hawks was targeted by Worldleaks ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 177 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on December 16, 2025, when Smith Hawks appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Smith Hawks is based in United States . United States ranks #1 globally for ransomware attacks, with 9,553 victims in our database.

Worldleaks 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 22, 2026 04:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Smith Hawks attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Smith Hawks was listed as a victim of the Worldleaks ransomware group on December 16, 2025. The organisation is based in United States. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Smith Hawks?

Smith Hawks was attacked by Worldleaks ransomware. Worldleaks is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 177 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Smith Hawks ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Smith Hawks was disclosed on December 16, 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 Smith Hawks ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Smith Hawks 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. Sensitive business data was likely targeted.

How can organisations protect against Worldleaks attacks?

To defend against Worldleaks 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.