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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Public Sector

UK government

Listed by Snatch on · organisation based in United Kingdom

Disclosed
May 1, 2024
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Snatch
16 victims listed
Country
United Kingdom
#4 most targeted
Sector
Public Sector

ThreatAI analysis

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

About the Snatch group

Snatch is a ransomware which infects victims by rebooting the PC into Safe Mode. Most of the existing security protections do not run in Safe Mode so that it the malware can act without expected countermeasures and it can encrypt as many files as it finds. It uses common packers such as UPX to hide its payload. Snatch has listed 142 victims since November 2021.

Incident analysis

UK government was listed by Snatch ransomware, a group with 16 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on May 1, 2024.

UK government is based in United Kingdom and operates in the Public Sector sector. United Kingdom ranks #4 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 951 victims in this database.

Sector context. Organisations in this sector hold valuable data and operational systems that ransomware groups seek to exploit for financial gain through encryption and data exfiltration.

Snatch 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files are encrypted, so the victim faces two demands at once — pay to restore access, and pay to keep stolen data unpublished.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 UK government attacked by ransomware?

Yes. UK government was listed as a victim of the Snatch ransomware group on May 1, 2024. The organisation is based in United Kingdom and operates in the Public Sector sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked UK government?

UK government was attacked by Snatch ransomware. Snatch is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 16 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the UK government ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on UK government was disclosed on May 1, 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 UK government ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from UK government 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 Public Sector organisation, UK government likely held sensitive business data, client information, and operational records.

How can organisations protect against Snatch attacks?

To defend against Snatch 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.