Ransomware’s Blind Spot: How Black Basta’s Leaked Chats Reveal Their Vulnerability to Deception Tech

What Black Basta’s Leaked Chats Tell Us About Deception Technology

Last week, something interesting landed in the cybersecurity world: the internal chat logs of the Black Basta ransomware group leaked online. These weren’t just any chats - they gave us a rare look at how one of the most active ransomware crews operates behind the scenes.

Reading through their messages from September 2023 to September 2024, we spotted something curious. While these attackers discussed using fake servers to trick their victims, they never once mentioned worrying about falling for deception technology themselves.

This blind spot matters. A lot.

Let’s break down what we found in those chats. The group’s key players - including their suspected leader Oleg Nefedov (known as “Trump” or “GG”) - talked openly about their attacks. They even had internal drama, with some members keeping ransom money without giving victims their files back.

But here’s the interesting part: at one point, they discussed setting up “fake servers” to mislead their targets. As one member put it in Russian: “параллельно тоже развернем пару фейков” (“We will also deploy a couple of fakes in parallel”).

The irony? While they planned to use deception themselves, they showed zero concern about organizations using deception against them. Not a single message mentioned checking for decoy systems or fake users during their attacks.

This tells us something valuable: deception technology might be one of our most overlooked tools against ransomware. Think about it - if sophisticated attackers aren’t even looking for these traps, they’re more likely to trip them.

Here’s how it works: when you plant convincing decoys in your network - like fake user accounts or systems - any interaction with them is a clear warning sign. It’s like a tripwire that tells you someone’s in your house. Since groups like Black Basta aren’t watching for these defenses, they’re more likely to stumble right into them.

Black Basta’s leaked chats show us there’s still a gap between what attackers expect and what defenders can do. And sometimes, the best defense is the one your attacker doesn’t see coming.

Want to learn more about using deception technology in your security strategy? Drop us a line - we’re happy to share what we’ve learned about staying ahead of threats like Black Basta.