Qilin admits Singer Associates compromise

Major crisis communications firm Singer Associates was claimed to have had its systems compromised by the Qilin ransomware operation in retaliation for the firm's actions to cover up the illicit activities of its clients, including leading oil companies, according to Cybernews. In a post on its data leak site, Qilin alleged pilfering a Singer Associates archive containing all of the organization's voter and customer manipulation schemes, misinformation and forgery efforts, and fraudulent and deceitful activity. Analysis of the posted screenshots of files purportedly pilfered from Singer Associates showed the firm's activist surveillance plans and financial backer research. "Internal documents from the leak appear to detail Singer Associates' work for major clients like Chevron, outlining a strategy to counter environmental activists involved in the Ecuador pollution lawsuit," said Cybernews researchers. At least 503 organizations have already been compromised by Qilin during the past year, making it the second most active ransomware gang behind RansomHub, according to Cybernews' Ransomlooker tool.