‘Fog’ hackers troll victims with DOGE ransom notes

Fog ransomware operators have recently begun using DOGE-themed ransom notes to mock victims, offering a free decryption key in exchange for spreading the malware to others.

Unlike earlier campaigns by Fog that relied on compromised VPN credentials for access, the latest attacks begin with phishing emails containing a zip archive titled “Pay Adjustment.zip,” which packs in a malicious LNK file. When clicked, the file triggers a series of actions that ultimately drops the ransomware onto the system, according to researchers at Trend Micro who uncovered the campaign recently.

The initial ransom note that victims receive contains references to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and in some cases to individuals working at DOGE. For instance, the note asks the victim to list, in bullet form, five tasks they might have accomplished over the past week or to pay the ransomware actor a trillion dollars.

Read more at Dark Reading