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Cyber Threat
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Ransomware victim Technology

vdhelm

Listed by Donex on · organisation based in Netherlands

vanderhelmlogistics.com

Disclosed
Mar 8, 2024
Leak-site listing date
Threat group
Donex
5 victims listed
Country
Netherlands
#23 most targeted
Sector
Technology

ThreatAI analysis

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

About the Donex group

DoNex is a ransomware strain that emerged in March 2024 as the latest rebrand of a lineage beginning with Muse (2022) → DarkRace (2023) → DoNex, targeting enterprises in the US and Europe using double-extortion; Avast released a free decryptor in July 2024 after discovering a cryptographic flaw. Donex has listed 5 victims since February 2024.

How Donex is documented to operate

Windows Management Instrumentation T1047 Execution

Adversaries may abuse Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to execute malicious commands and payloads. WMI is designed for programmers and is the infrastructure for management data and operations on Windows systems. WMI is an administration feature that provides a uniform environment to access Windows system components. The WMI service enables both local and remote access, though the latter is facilitated by Remote Services such as Distributed Component Object Model and Windows Remote Management. Remote WMI over DCOM operates using port 135, whereas WMI over WinRM operates over port 5985 when using HTTP and 5986 for HTTPS.

Mitigations: Execution Prevention, Behavior Prevention on Endpoint, User Account Management, Privileged Account Management

MITRE ATT&CK reference
Command and Scripting Interpreter T1059 Execution

Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries. These interfaces and languages provide ways of interacting with computer systems and are a common feature across many different platforms. Most systems come with some built-in command-line interface and scripting capabilities, for example, macOS and Linux distributions include some flavor of Unix Shell while Windows installations include the Windows Command Shell and PowerShell. There are also cross-platform interpreters such as Python, as well as those commonly associated with client applications such as JavaScript and Visual Basic.

Mitigations: Restrict Web-Based Content, Limit Software Installation, Execution Prevention, Code Signing, Behavior Prevention on Endpoint, Privileged Account Management

MITRE ATT&CK reference
Native API T1106 Execution

Adversaries may interact with the native OS application programming interface (API) to execute behaviors. Native APIs provide a controlled means of calling low-level OS services within the kernel, such as those involving hardware/devices, memory, and processes. These native APIs are leveraged by the OS during system boot (when other system components are not yet initialized) as well as carrying out tasks and requests during routine operations. Adversaries may abuse these OS API functions as a means of executing behaviors.

Mitigations: Execution Prevention, Behavior Prevention on Endpoint

MITRE ATT&CK reference
Shared Modules T1129 Execution

Adversaries may execute malicious payloads via loading shared modules. Shared modules are executable files that are loaded into processes to provide access to reusable code, such as specific custom functions or invoking OS API functions (i.e., Native API). Adversaries may use this functionality as a way to execute arbitrary payloads on a victim system. For example, adversaries can modularize functionality of their malware into shared objects that perform various functions such as managing C2 network communications or execution of specific actions on objective. The Linux & macOS module loader can load and execute shared objects from arbitrary local paths.

Mitigations: Execution Prevention

MITRE ATT&CK reference

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

Incident analysis

vdhelm was listed by Donex ransomware, a group with 5 victims recorded in this database. The listing appeared on the group's leak site on March 8, 2024.

vdhelm is based in Netherlands and operates in the Technology sector. Netherlands ranks #23 worldwide for ransomware disclosures, with 146 victims in this database.

Sector context. Technology companies hold intellectual property, customer data, and source code — all highly valuable assets. A successful ransomware attack can also put downstream customers at risk through supply chain exposure.

Donex 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 vdhelm attacked by ransomware?

Yes. vdhelm was listed as a victim of the Donex ransomware group on March 8, 2024. The organisation is based in Netherlands and operates in the Technology sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked vdhelm?

vdhelm was attacked by Donex ransomware. Donex is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 5 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the vdhelm ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on vdhelm was disclosed on March 8, 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 vdhelm ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from vdhelm 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 Technology organisation, vdhelm likely held source code, intellectual property, and customer data.

How can organisations protect against Donex attacks?

To defend against Donex 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.