Karma ransomware group
Karma is one of the extortion operations we watch continuously. This page covers what is known about the group and the current state of its leak site, which we last saw change 5y ago.
Who they are
Karma is a ransomware group first observed in November 2021, operating a double-extortion model that combines data theft with encryption. The group primarily targets enterprises across various sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, and technology, with confirmed victims in North America, Europe, and Asia. Karma is believed to be a rebrand or evolution of the FiveHands ransomware, itself derived from the earlier HelloKitty codebase, based on overlaps in encryption methods and ransom portal design. The ransomware appends the .KARMA extension to encrypted files and leaves ransom notes named KARMA-README.txt, directing victims to a Tor-based negotiation site. Initial access is typically obtained through compromised VPN credentials, exploitation of vulnerabilities in public-facing systems, and use of access brokers. Unlike some groups, Karma operators claim to avoid encrypting systems in healthcare emergency services, instead focusing on exfiltration and extortion.
Current status
Karma's leak site is not answering. Sites go dark for infrastructure trouble, a deliberate quiet period, or a takedown, and a good number return weeks later under the same name, so the entry stays on the list either way.
The last change we recorded on it was 5y ago (5 Nov 2021 02:09 UTC).
Which organisations this group has named, and when, is part of the SINON platform rather than this page. Create an account to search it, or to be told automatically if a name you care about turns up.
Sectors targeted
This group does not state an industry on its site, so we have nothing reliable to report. Most crews are opportunistic rather than sector-specific in any case — they hit what they can reach.
Watching for your name
If Karma posts your company, a supplier or a subsidiary, you want to hear it from us rather than from a journalist. SINON checks these sites continuously and alerts on the names you give it.
Start monitoring