LockBit Ransomware Takedown Strikes Deep Into Brand's Viability

Trend Micro analysis finds that Operation Cronos severely disrupted LockBit — a ransomware RaaS responsible for a large share of 2023 attacks — by compromising admin panels, exposing affiliates, and damaging the group's reputation; post-takedown activity is minimal (one small affiliate cluster and re-uploads), though a new LockBit-NG-Dev .NET variant has been observed, and the disruption is altering tactics across the RaaS ecosystem with implications for business risk.