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STAC6565 Targets Canada in 80% of Attacks as Gold Blade Expands Operations With QWCrypt Ransomware
STAC6565 Targets Canada in 80% of Attacks as Gold Blade Expands Operations With QWCrypt Ransomware
Trusted News - Expert Analysis - Global Coverage
Canadian organizations are facing an unprecedented wave of targeted cyberattacks as a threat activity cluster tracked as STAC6565 intensifies operations, with nearly 80% of observed intrusions aimed at Canada, according to a new report by cybersecurity firm Sophos.
etween February 2024 and August 2025, Sophos investigated almost 40 security incidents tied to the group. Analysts say the activity strongly overlaps with a financially driven hacking group known by several aliases—Gold Blade, Earth Kapre, RedCurl, and Red Wolf—marking the latest evolution of a threat actor known for sophisticated espionage and corporate data theft.
While Gold Blade historically operated across Russia and parts of Europe, the newest campaign marks a dramatic geographic realignment.
Victims span both public and private sectors, including service providers, manufacturing and retail companies, transportation networks, NGOs, and technology and infrastructure sectors. The remaining 20% of attacks were directed at organizations in the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.
Espionage to Ransomware Transition: Gold Blade has been active since late 2018, beginning with commercial espionage campaigns targeting Russian companies. Over time, the group expanded to Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Ukraine, the U.S., and Canada. Historically dependent on phishing emails to infiltrate corporate networks, Gold Blade has now adopted a more aggressive, hybrid strategy that blends data theft, credential harvesting, and targeted ransomware deployment. Sophos notes that this evolution demonstrates a shift from purely espionage-focused operations to financially motivated attacks.
The most striking development in the new campaign is Gold Blade's deployment of QWCrypt, a bespoke ransomware strain designed for selective, high-value extortion operations. This shift aligns Gold Blade with modern hybrid threat actors who steal data first, then encrypt systems to increase leverage.
Feb 2024 - Aug 2025: 40+ incidents investigated, 80% targeting Canada
Service providers, manufacturing, retail, transportation, NGOs, tech infrastructure
Canada (80%), U.S., Australia, U.K. (remaining 20%)
Gold Blade, Earth Kapre, RedCurl, Red Wolf, STAC6565
QWCrypt ransomware, RedLoader, PowerShell scripts, Active Directory recon
Data theft + ransomware hybrid attacks, selective high-value extortion
A distinctive tool in the group's arsenal is RedLoader, a malicious utility that communicates with remote command-and-control servers, extracts system and user information, runs PowerShell scripts to enumerate Active Directory environments, and sets the stage for lateral movement and privilege escalation.
AD reconnaissance is especially dangerous in enterprise networks, enabling attackers to identify domain admins, critical servers, and high-value assets before deploying ransomware.
Active Directory Penetration: The group's focus on AD enumeration allows them to map out entire corporate networks, identifying the most valuable targets and planning precise ransomware deployment. This methodical approach distinguishes Gold Blade from more opportunistic ransomware groups.
Outside Canada, STAC6565 / Gold Blade has also targeted the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The sectors most heavily impacted include critical services and utilities, manufacturing and logistics, retail and e-commerce, technology firms, NGOs and civil society groups, and transportation infrastructure.
This pattern suggests that Gold Blade has evolved into a global threat actor combining espionage, data theft, and selective ransomware attacks to maximize economic gain.
The STAC6565 campaign highlights a worrying trend in the cyber threat landscape: espionage groups adopting ransomware, targeted regional campaigns, custom malware toolkits, deep Active Directory penetration, and hybrid financial-espionage motives.
Sophos warns that organizations—especially those in Canada—should immediately strengthen phishing prevention, network segmentation, MFA enforcement, PowerShell logging, EDR monitoring, and ransomware containment protocols. As Gold Blade expands its operations and deploys increasingly sophisticated tools, cybersecurity experts expect further intrusions in the coming months.
Strengthen phishing prevention, enforce MFA, segment critical networks
Enable PowerShell logging, deploy EDR solutions, monitor AD changes
Develop ransomware containment protocols, test backup restoration
Conduct security awareness programs, phishing simulation exercises
Implement application whitelisting, restrict PowerShell usage
Monitor for Gold Blade IOCs, share threat data with industry peers
The targeted nature of these attacks against Canadian organizations suggests either strategic intelligence about vulnerable sectors or potential geopolitical motives beyond mere financial gain. Cybersecurity analysts are closely monitoring whether this represents a sustained campaign or a temporary focus shift by the threat group.
