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Ransomware Victim Construction

Topa Partners

Ransomware attack by Trigona · Disclosed March 16, 2024 · 🇳🇿 New Zealand

topa.co.nz/

Date Disclosed
Mar 16, 2024
2024
Threat Group
Trigona
19 total victims
Country
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Industry
Construction

ThreatAI Analysis

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

About the Trigona group

According to PCrisk, Trigona is ransomware that encrypts files and appends the ._locked extension to filenames. Also, it drops the how_to_decrypt.hta file that opens a ransom note. An example of how Trigona renames files: it renames 1.jpg to 1.jpg._locked, 2.png to 2.png._locked, and so forth.It embeds the encrypted decryption key, the campaign ID, and the victim ID in the encrypted files. Trigona has listed 49 victims since April 2023.

How Trigona is documented to operate

Exploit Public-Facing Application T1190 Initial Access

Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network. The weakness in the system can be a software bug, a temporary glitch, or a misconfiguration. Exploited applications are often websites/web servers, but can also include databases (like SQL), standard services (like SMB or SSH), network device administration and management protocols (like SNMP and Smart Install), and any other system with Internet-accessible open sockets. On ESXi infrastructure, adversaries may exploit exposed OpenSLP services; they may alternatively exploit exposed VMware vCenter servers.

Mitigations: Vulnerability Scanning, Limit Access to Resource Over Network, Filter Network Traffic, Network Segmentation, Privileged Account Management, Application Isolation and Sandboxing

MITRE ATT&CK reference →
Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information T1140 Stealth

Adversaries may use Obfuscated Files or Information to hide artifacts of an intrusion from analysis. They may require separate mechanisms to decode or deobfuscate that information depending on how they intend to use it. Methods for doing that include built-in functionality of malware or by using utilities present on the system. One such example is the use of certutil to decode a remote access tool portable executable file that has been hidden inside a certificate file. Another example is using the Windows <codecopy /b</code or <codetype</code command to reassemble binary fragments into a malicious payload.

MITRE ATT&CK reference →

MITRE ATT&CK techniques attributed to Trigona across its recorded activity, not a finding about how Topa Partners was reached.

Incident Analysis

Topa Partners was targeted by Trigona ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 19 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on March 16, 2024, when Topa Partners appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Topa Partners is based in New Zealand , operating in the Construction sector. New Zealand ranks #45 globally for ransomware attacks, with 48 victims in our database.

Sector context: Construction firms often hold sensitive project data, client financials, and intellectual property. The industry's typically lean IT security teams can make them more vulnerable.

Trigona 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 8, 2026 02:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Topa Partners attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Topa Partners was listed as a victim of the Trigona ransomware group on March 16, 2024. The organisation is based in New Zealand and operates in the Construction sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Topa Partners?

Topa Partners was attacked by Trigona ransomware. Trigona is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 19 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Topa Partners ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Topa Partners was disclosed on March 16, 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 Topa Partners ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Topa Partners 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 Construction organisation, Topa Partners likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Trigona attacks?

To defend against Trigona 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.