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Step By Step

Ransomware attack by Storm · Disclosed October 3, 2026 · 🇺🇸 United States

stepbystepusa.com

Date Disclosed
Oct 3, 2026
2026
Threat Group
Storm
82 total victims
Country
🇺🇸 United States
Industry
Education

ThreatAI Analysis

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

Storm listed Step By Step on its dark web leak site on 3 October 2026, an organization that provides services to individuals with disabilities and mental health disorders, including residential programs, employment support, and behavioral health counseling.

About Step By Step

Step By Step, Inc. is a private nonprofit human services organization established in 1977 and headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The organization provides community-based support services to individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, autism, mental health disorders, and substance use disorders. Its services include residential programs, vocational and employment support, behavioral health and counseling, autism services, in-home and community support, and other individualized programs designed to promote independence and community participation. Step By Step serves more than 2,000 individuals across multiple regions and more than a dozen Pennsylvania counties. The organization works with individuals, families, and community partners to provide personalized support throughout different stages of life. The company headquarters is located in 744 Kidder Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702, United States. 1K-5K Employees

Source record: ransomware.live

About the Storm group

Storm has listed 49 victims since August 2026.

Incident Analysis

Step By Step was targeted by Storm ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 82 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on October 3, 2026, when Step By Step appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Step By Step is based in United States , operating in the Education sector. United States ranks #1 globally for ransomware attacks, with 9,682 victims in our database.

Sector context: Educational institutions often have under-resourced IT security teams and hold large amounts of student and faculty personal data, making them attractive targets for ransomware groups.

Storm 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: Oct 5, 2026 04:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Step By Step attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Step By Step was listed as a victim of the Storm ransomware group on October 3, 2026. The organisation is based in United States and operates in the Education sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Step By Step?

Step By Step was attacked by Storm ransomware. Storm is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 82 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Step By Step ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Step By Step was disclosed on October 3, 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 Step By Step ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Step By Step 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 Education organisation, Step By Step likely held student and faculty personal data and academic records.

How can organisations protect against Storm attacks?

To defend against Storm 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.