HelloKitty ransomware source code exposed

BleepingComputer reports that HelloKitty ransomware had the complete source code of its initial version leaked by threat actor kapuchin0, also known as Gookee, who is believed by cybersecurity researcher 3xp0rt to be the ransomware strain's developer. Such a leak of HelloKitty ransomware source code, which included a Microsoft Visual Studio solution enabling the creation of the ransomware's encryptor and decryptor, as well as the ransomware's NTRUEncrypt library, was done kapuchin0/Gookee amid claims of developing a more robust encryptor that is "much more interesting than LockBit." HelloKitty ransomware, which has been associated with Abyss Locker, Fivehands, and DeathRansom, has previously compromised VMware ESXi instances and CD Projekt Red. Despite the benefits of the leaked source code, the validity of which was confirmed by ransomware expert Michael Gillespie, in cybersecurity research, other threat actors could also leverage the exposed code in their own attacks, as evidenced by the fallout from the release of the Babuk ransomware source code.