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Space Bears Ransomware Decryption and Recovery

Under attack by ransomware or suffering a cyber breach?

Speed is critical when facing a live cyber attack. If you believe you’ve been compromised, by the Space Bears ransomware group or another threat actor - contact us immediately.

About Space Bears ransomware group

Speed is critical when facing a live cyber attack. If you believe you’ve been compromised, by the Space Bears ransomware group or another threat actor – contact us immediately.

Emerging in early 2024, Space Bears has quickly established itself as a disruptive ransomware group, targeting organisations with advanced encryption techniques and aggressive extortion tactics. An infection with Space Bears, like any ransomware, results in systems being locked and sensitive data being encrypted. Victims are presented with a ransom demand, typically in cryptocurrency, to regain access and to prevent the stolen data from being leaked or sold on the dark web.

What we can help with:

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If your organisation has been infected with ransomware contact us immediately.

How Space Bears operators work

First detected in early 2024, the group Space Bears is a highly organised and relatively new ransomware group that primarily targets large enterprises and critical infrastructure. While its exact origins remain unclear, cybersecurity analysts have noted similarities between Space Bears and earlier sophisticated ransomware actors, suggesting links to well-established cybercriminal networks.

The group enables attacks across both Windows and Linux environments, exploiting vulnerabilities in Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), phishing campaigns, and software supply chains to infiltrate victim networks. Once inside, it encrypts files and exfiltrates sensitive data, leveraging double extortion tactics to coerce payment, threatening to publish or sell the stolen information.

In one of the most notable breaches, Atos proprietary data was exposed, raising serious concerns about the security of infrastructure managed by major IT service providers. The compromised systems often include a global network of endpoints, making containment and recovery significantly more difficult. These attacks have disrupted critical services support operations and exposed internal communications, employee records, and client data, amplifying the overall impact.

Due to its rapid escalation and aggressive tactics, Space Bears is regarded as a significant and evolving threat. Security experts continue to monitor its activity closely and advise organisations to strengthen their cyber defences to counter potential intrusions.

We are equipped to deal with an attack from any ransomware group.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you are under attack from a ransomware group not listed above. 

Recognising a Space Bears attack

The ransomware group Space Bears follows the double extortion model, encrypting a victim’s data while simultaneously exfiltrating sensitive information. This approach forces victims to pay not only for file decryption but also to avoid the publication of stolen data on leak sites or other public channels.

After breaching a network, Space Bears typically encrypts critical files and disables security protections, making recovery significantly more difficult. In several incidents, infrastructure contained data mentioning sensitive projects, user credentials, and even Atos proprietary data exposed, highlighting the serious risk to organisations operating in high-security sectors.

Exfiltrated data is often routed through third-party infrastructure to evade law enforcement and enable secure distribution. The group also uses DDoS attacks against organisations that resist paying, increasing pressure to comply.

Why you must not interfere with your ransomware environment

If you discover a physical break-in at your offices, your first instinct would be to call the police; touch nothing and let them search for clues. Then, your focus would shift to restoring business operations.

A cyber-attack requires the same approach. Your digital environment is a CRIME SCENE. It is crucial to leave the environment untouched to allow for a forensic investigation.

This is not a task for your IT team or MSP. Digital Forensic specialists are available 24/7 to assist you, just like in a physical crime.

description Sector Date Discovered Attack Date Country Screenshot
Not Found 02/06/2026 01:28 PM 31/05/2026 12:00 AM TC
Business Services 27/05/2026 03:03 AM 12/05/2026 12:00 AM US
Business Services 27/05/2026 01:06 AM 03/05/2026 12:00 AM ES
Agriculture and Food Production 26/05/2026 06:26 AM 13/05/2026 12:00 AM CH
Not Found 26/05/2026 05:27 AM 19/05/2026 12:00 AM IE
Business Services 26/05/2026 05:26 AM 25/05/2026 12:00 AM IT
Healthcare 12/05/2026 04:55 AM 14/04/2026 12:00 AM US
Technology 05/05/2026 04:55 AM 09/04/2026 12:00 AM FR
Healthcare 04/05/2026 01:26 PM 26/04/2026 12:00 AM US
Business Services 14/04/2026 08:43 AM 13/04/2026 12:00 AM BE
Manufacturing 14/04/2026 08:42 AM 23/02/2026 12:00 AM GB
Hospitality and Tourism 07/04/2026 04:53 AM 06/04/2026 12:00 AM AU
Hospitality and Tourism 19/03/2026 06:22 AM 01/03/2026 12:00 AM JP
Healthcare 12/03/2026 06:40 AM 10/03/2026 12:00 AM BA
Consumer Services 18/02/2026 03:51 PM 20/01/2026 12:00 AM IT
Manufacturing 17/02/2026 07:57 AM 10/02/2026 12:00 AM DE
Manufacturing 17/02/2026 06:34 AM 08/02/2026 12:00 AM TW
Energy 16/02/2026 06:03 PM 15/02/2026 12:00 AM ID
Business Services 16/02/2026 06:02 PM 15/02/2026 12:00 AM BR
Business Services 14/02/2026 06:55 AM 10/02/2026 12:00 AM US
Energy 13/02/2026 11:34 AM 10/02/2026 12:00 AM IT
Technology 10/02/2026 04:01 PM 06/02/2026 12:00 AM SA
Manufacturing 10/02/2026 04:00 PM 07/02/2026 12:00 AM DE
Healthcare 04/02/2026 04:10 AM 18/12/2025 12:00 AM KR
Construction 30/12/2025 02:04 AM 20/12/2025 12:00 AM DE
Consumer Services 24/12/2025 03:02 AM 23/12/2025 12:00 AM DE
Telecommunication 16/12/2025 10:33 AM 15/12/2025 12:00 AM US
Construction 12/12/2025 02:02 PM 09/11/2025 12:00 AM US
Technology 12/12/2025 08:02 AM 09/12/2025 12:00 AM MY
Business Services 09/12/2025 05:48 PM 05/12/2025 12:00 AM FR
Healthcare 09/12/2025 12:56 PM 06/12/2025 12:00 AM US
Telecommunication 08/12/2025 08:17 AM 07/12/2025 12:00 AM US
Technology 05/12/2025 05:31 AM 04/12/2025 12:00 AM IL
Telecommunication 04/12/2025 04:58 AM 07/10/2025 12:00 AM US
Healthcare 14/11/2025 07:20 AM 13/11/2025 12:00 AM US
Consumer Services 04/11/2025 05:57 AM 21/10/2025 12:00 AM MA
Not Found 04/11/2025 03:47 AM 02/11/2025 12:00 AM ES
Hospitality and Tourism 20/10/2025 03:40 PM 19/10/2025 12:00 AM ES
Construction 09/10/2025 06:55 AM 05/10/2025 12:00 AM ES
Healthcare 08/10/2025 08:16 AM 02/10/2025 12:00 AM ES
Agriculture and Food Production 03/10/2025 06:52 AM 23/08/2025 12:00 AM MX
Technology 02/10/2025 11:22 AM 25/08/2025 12:00 AM ES
Consumer Services 01/10/2025 06:21 AM 05/09/2025 12:00 AM US
Healthcare 26/09/2025 05:44 AM 20/08/2025 12:00 AM AR
Consumer Services 25/09/2025 08:29 AM 06/09/2025 12:00 AM BR
Construction 23/09/2025 04:20 AM 22/09/2025 12:00 AM CH
Business Services 22/09/2025 08:18 AM 27/07/2025 12:00 AM US
Business Services 17/09/2025 01:27 PM 13/09/2025 12:00 AM DO
Consumer Services 10/09/2025 02:43 PM 09/09/2025 12:00 AM US
Transportation/Logistics 21/08/2025 04:14 AM 19/08/2025 12:00 AM US
Business Services 21/08/2025 04:13 AM 19/08/2025 12:00 AM GB
Business Services 17/08/2025 07:16 AM 16/08/2025 12:00 AM IL
Manufacturing 07/08/2025 08:14 AM 14/06/2025 12:00 AM IT
Technology 04/07/2025 08:06 AM 03/07/2025 12:00 AM US
Technology 03/07/2025 08:11 AM 24/06/2025 12:00 AM US
Consumer Services 21/06/2025 07:50 AM 02/06/2025 12:00 AM US
Telecommunication 17/06/2025 08:04 AM 29/04/2025 12:00 AM AU
Business Services 11/06/2025 12:14 PM 10/06/2025 12:00 AM BE
Technology 28/05/2025 01:13 PM 27/05/2025 12:00 AM JP
Technology 28/05/2025 12:09 PM 24/05/2025 12:00 AM HK
Healthcare 22/05/2025 08:50 AM 21/05/2025 12:00 AM US
Business Services 22/05/2025 07:20 AM 06/05/2025 12:00 AM NL
Construction 12/05/2025 11:17 PM 03/05/2025 12:00 AM CZ
Transportation/Logistics 12/05/2025 11:15 PM 04/05/2025 12:00 AM CA
Business Services 17/04/2025 07:10 AM 12/04/2025 12:00 AM ES
Technology 17/04/2025 07:09 AM 15/04/2025 12:00 AM TW
Business Services 10/04/2025 11:22 AM 07/04/2025 12:00 AM AU
Construction 05/04/2025 02:24 PM 03/04/2025 12:00 AM US
Manufacturing 05/04/2025 02:22 PM 29/03/2025 12:00 AM MX
Construction 20/03/2025 06:58 PM 18/03/2025 12:00 AM US
Business Services 20/03/2025 06:56 PM 02/03/2025 12:00 AM
Financial Services 25/02/2025 02:43 PM 23/02/2025 12:00 AM US
Financial Services 06/02/2025 08:14 AM 31/12/2024 12:00 AM US
Healthcare 03/02/2025 12:10 AM 03/02/2025 12:09 AM US
Construction 01/02/2025 12:35 PM 01/02/2025 12:34 PM US
Manufacturing 26/01/2025 12:16 PM 26/01/2025 12:15 PM US
Transportation/Logistics 24/01/2025 04:48 AM 24/01/2025 04:47 AM GB
Healthcare 23/01/2025 08:09 AM 23/01/2025 08:07 AM US
Public Sector 22/01/2025 04:46 AM 22/01/2025 04:44 AM AU
Healthcare 22/01/2025 02:04 AM 22/01/2025 02:03 AM BR
Healthcare 21/01/2025 03:10 PM 21/01/2025 03:09 PM DZ
Healthcare 21/01/2025 04:02 AM 21/01/2025 04:01 AM IN
Hospitality and Tourism 14/01/2025 07:11 AM 14/01/2025 07:10 AM EG
Manufacturing 09/01/2025 09:54 AM 09/01/2025 09:52 AM JP
Business Services 08/01/2025 07:05 AM 08/01/2025 07:03 AM US
Technology 08/01/2025 07:03 AM 08/01/2025 07:02 AM US
Technology 08/01/2025 07:01 AM 08/01/2025 07:00 AM US
Business Services 28/12/2024 10:51 AM 24/12/2024 12:00 AM FR
Manufacturing 20/12/2024 05:39 AM 19/12/2024 12:00 AM CA
Financial Services 12/12/2024 01:27 PM 05/11/2024 12:00 AM IN
Financial Services 05/12/2024 03:18 PM 20/11/2024 12:00 AM IN
Financial Services 29/11/2024 11:00 AM 21/11/2024 12:00 AM NA
Construction 26/11/2024 02:59 AM 25/11/2024 12:00 AM TW
Transportation/Logistics 09/11/2024 04:44 AM 08/11/2024 12:00 AM HK
Healthcare 08/11/2024 05:24 AM 30/10/2024 12:00 AM MN
Transportation/Logistics 01/11/2024 09:44 AM 31/10/2024 12:00 AM HK
Manufacturing 22/10/2024 01:18 PM 21/10/2024 12:00 AM IN
Public Sector 12/09/2024 05:11 AM 29/07/2024 12:00 AM CM
Technology 21/08/2024 02:19 AM 20/08/2024 12:00 AM CI
Business Services 02/08/2024 03:41 PM 20/07/2024 12:00 AM US
Manufacturing 02/08/2024 03:41 PM 01/08/2024 12:00 AM US
Business Services 31/07/2024 06:18 PM 30/07/2024 12:00 AM US
Business Services 31/07/2024 06:17 PM 21/07/2024 12:00 AM US
Construction 30/07/2024 03:15 PM 29/07/2024 12:00 AM ES
Financial Services 25/07/2024 05:13 AM 24/07/2024 12:00 AM DE
Technology 12/07/2024 10:00 PM 02/07/2024 12:00 AM
Business Services 05/07/2024 03:06 AM 04/07/2024 12:00 AM CA
Technology 05/07/2024 03:05 AM 07/05/2024 12:00 AM CA
Technology 05/07/2024 01:39 AM 03/07/2024 12:00 AM CA
Transportation/Logistics 22/06/2024 11:29 AM 06/05/2024 12:00 AM CH
Transportation/Logistics 22/06/2024 11:28 AM 13/05/2024 12:00 AM IT
Transportation/Logistics 22/06/2024 11:27 AM 16/05/2024 12:00 AM MC
Business Services 20/06/2024 07:56 AM 18/06/2024 12:00 AM FJ
Telecommunication 20/06/2024 05:26 AM 04/06/2024 12:00 AM AE
Manufacturing 18/06/2024 04:10 AM 29/04/2024 12:00 AM KR
Consumer Services 18/06/2024 04:10 AM 20/05/2024 12:00 AM IT
Healthcare 15/06/2024 12:51 PM 12/06/2024 12:00 AM US
Healthcare 15/06/2024 08:55 AM 10/05/2024 12:00 AM US
Healthcare 15/06/2024 08:54 AM 11/06/2024 12:00 AM US
Business Services 27/05/2024 11:22 AM 25/05/2024 12:00 AM US
Business Services 18/05/2024 05:49 AM 17/05/2024 12:00 AM PT
Technology 29/04/2024 10:12 AM 26/04/2024 12:00 AM CO
Healthcare 29/04/2024 06:47 AM 28/04/2024 12:00 AM US
Agriculture and Food Production 29/04/2024 06:40 AM 28/04/2024 12:00 AM EC
Hospitality and Tourism 29/04/2024 06:39 AM 26/04/2024 12:00 AM SG
Manufacturing 29/04/2024 06:38 AM 25/04/2024 12:00 AM MA
Manufacturing 29/04/2024 06:37 AM 25/04/2024 12:00 AM US
Technology 29/04/2024 06:36 AM 27/04/2024 12:00 AM NO
Business Services 29/04/2024 06:35 AM 27/04/2024 12:00 AM DE

Post breach actions

  • Call a NCSC Cyber Incident Response approved supplier Some NCSC providers will fund up to 48 hours of investigation into your incident.
  • Report the incident to Report Fraud
  • Locate your business continuity plan Work out what you can do without access to your systems and data.
  • Identify your business insurance contact details
Business woman contacting a Zensec ransomware recovery service

Who are we and what experience do we have in responding to cyber incidents?

We are accredited to ISO 27001 and recognised by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

We provide comprehensive cyber risk management services, with a core focus on Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR). Our capabilities are driven by a 24/7 Security Operations Centre and a dedicated in-house intelligence team that delivers timely, actionable threat reporting.

With decades of collective cyber security experience, we have the expertise to assume operational ownership of your entire IT security architecture – simplifying and strengthening cyber security across your business.

As an Assured Service Provider for Cyber Incident Response (CIR) at the Standard Level. This accreditation demonstrates our ability to deliver high-assurance, effective support in response to a wide range of cyber threats.

Your NCSC-approved supplier is a specialist crime scene investigator who will:

  1. Isolate and preserve your environment for forensic investigation.
  2.  Identify where the data has been duplicated and issue a legal takedown order.
  3. Identify your data, application and systems restore points. These might be at different points in time and will need to be carefully restored and reconstructed in a pristine environment.
  4.  Liaise with your business insurance company and if needed, with the Police.
  5. Advise you on notifying your customers of your situation.
  6. Rebuild your systems, restore your data and get you back to full operation. Note: This process can take between 2 weeks – 2 months.

 

Working with us

Our response process

Our team are ransomware recovery specialists with a proven, streamlined approach to resolving incidents quickly and effectively.

Step 1: Triage

We deploy our incident response team the same day. From the first call, we begin onboarding, introduce key stakeholders, set communication schedules, and start gathering critical information to guide the response.

Step 2: Investigation

DFIR (Digital Forensic Incident Response) teams investigate breaches to identify vulnerabilities, attack vectors, and system impacts from ransomware such as Data Loss (PII). We deliver clear forensic insights to guide mitigation.

Step 3: Contain

Our onsite and remote teams act fast to stop the attack in its tracks. That includes isolating affected systems, removing malicious code, and putting protections in place to prevent further spread or damage.

Step 4: Remediate & Eradicate

Once contained, we work to fully eliminate the threat. This includes fixing exploited vulnerabilities, restoring systems to a secure state, and ensuring no traces of the attack remain.

Step 5: Recover

Our incident response teams help get your business back to normal. We restore access to systems, recover data, and ensure services are safe, stable, and functioning, with minimal downtime.

Step 6: Post Incident

We conduct a full review of the incident response and recovery efforts. Together we assess what happened, what worked, and what can be improved, helping you build stronger defences for the future.

Forensic analysis to drive recovery

Our process includes a thorough digital forensic analysis from step two where the output becomes a central component of business recovery. This is because understanding the attack is of critical importance:

  • Informing an initial infection date

  • The extent and spread of infection

  • Data exfiltration having an impact on regulatory positions

  • Ensuring that the attacker and any tooling or artefacts they leave behind are eradicated

It is critical that the analysis of digital evidence is carried out to an agreed plan.

Maximising early root cause discovery and legal leverage

The process is purpose-built to uncover the root cause as early as possible, which is essential to inform remediation / eradication and recovery as well as supporting a legal take-down case if this is applicable. A legal take-down means we can assist in the legal enforcement that stops the criminals from publishing the data, thus undermining the ransom notice.

Our Digital Forensic and Incident Response (DFIR) teams maintain consistent communication throughout. Dedicated Incident Managers and technical engineering leads provide updates during the Cyber Incident Response journey, utilising risk registers and working within change management processes, all from triage through to post-incident, delivering successful business recovery.

Key take aways

  • You will not be able to access your systems or data.
  • It is advised to disconnect from the internet and shut down your systems, including PCs, to prevent further infections.
  • Your Office 365 system might also be compromised, allowing the attackers to monitor your responses. Avoid communicating with individuals through your primary email or team systems.
  • Threat actors typically infiltrate your system at least 2-4 weeks before you become aware of the attack. Your data will have already been exfiltrated. If your system is encrypted, this was not an overnight event.
  • Ransom demands in the UK typically range from £500,000 to £3 million, with some sectors, like education, facing demands that exceed £5 million
  • Paying the ransom may violate financial sanctions, which is a criminal offence and could result in a custodial sentence or further financial penalties.
  • If your data is sold or published online, it puts your customers and staff at risk, potentially implicating you in a Data Protection breach.
  • You will need to submit a data takedown request to the initial location where the data was transferred.
  • Do not overwrite the encrypted data. It is crucial to determine when the infection began and where the data was sent.
  • Avoid rebuilding from the latest backup, as it is likely to be infected.

Why should I trust Zensec to do this work rather than my IT team?

A forensic analysis needs to be meticulous and a clean restore and recovery requires a wealth of experience not normally available in an in-house team who must provide a broader range of IT support skills:

Internal IT teams don’t have the necessary skill set to resolve security encryption issues themselves. 

IT teams may recover to the same position with indicators of compromise ready to do it again… which can lead to another breach.

Internal teams are pressured to restore business operations and may recover before forensic analysis even begins, potentially destroying the crime scene before completion.

We can help

Frequently asked questions

Key information when you’re under pressure.

Yes, Space Bears is a ransomware variant that encrypts victims' data and demands a cryptocurrency payment for its release. It employs sophisticated encryption methods and aggressive extortion techniques to coerce victims into paying.

Facing genuine pressure, there's a crucial decision to make - one that could rescue your organisation from weeks of operational standstill, reputation damage, and client data loss. Yet, the probability of a favourable outcome remains slim, emphasising the importance of engaging a specialised ransomware incident response team. They are your most viable recourse for navigating a ransomware incident.

The NCSC have documented the deliberations for paying ransomware: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/ransomware/home

Important Reminder: It is a criminal offense to pay money to people who are subject to financial sanctions. The list of who is subject to financial sanctions is constantly changing.

The latest iteration can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-consolidated-list-of-targets

Most ransomware breaches cost approximately £500K, while smaller email data breaches typically cost around £50K. There is a critical balance between preserving the environment for forensic analysis and quickly recovering it to minimise business interruption. The costs increase the longer it takes to identify and resolve the breach.

A cyber security insurance claim is complex, covering reasonable expenses for investigating and remediating an incident, along with legal fees, business interruption, criminal liability, employment liability, and ransom payments. Although the insurance industry is responsible for facilitating business recovery, cyber insurance is viewed as volatile, and many policies are not being validated correctly.

Finding your way through demands expertise, and that's where Zensec can offer assistance.

A ransomware attack presents the most significant threat to your business by:

  • Disabling your access to systems, which could hinder machinery operation or impede progress through your business processes.
  • Blocking access to critical data concerning suppliers, shipments, customers, orders, or steps in your business workflow.

In the event of a business interruption, identifying your position in the supply chain and sustaining operations can be challenging. If the disruption continues, maintaining business continuity becomes critical. Once systems and data are restored, addressing backlogs and establishing future operational protocols are essential.

Ransomware ranks only behind receivership in terms of its capacity to incapacitate a business.

The NCSC is the UK National Cyber Security Centre. They provide cyber security guidance and support, helping to make the UK the safest place to live and work online. They have defined a Cyber Incident Response procedure and they have approved and accredited suppliers to provide this service.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/

As a recognised Assured Service Provider by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Zensec provide comprehensive cyber risk management services that are designed to Protect, Detect & Mitigate cyber security threats across the UK.

Report Fraud is the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Whether you have been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cybercrime in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, Report Fraud offers a central point of contact for information on fraud and financially motivated cybercrime.

https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

No, cyber attacks and ransomware attacks are not the same, but ransomware attacks are a specific type of cyber attack.

Cyber attacks encompass a wide range of malicious activities targeting digital systems, including phishing, data theft, denial-of-service (DoS), and defense invasion, where attackers bypass security measures to gain unauthorised access. These attacks often involve tactics like command and control systems, which allow hackers to remotely control infected machines.

Ransomware attacks, on the other hand, are a form of cyber attack in which attackers use malware to encrypt a victim’s data or lock them out of their systems. Victims are then pressured to make ransom payments to regain access to their files or systems. Ransomware attacks often involve a command and control infrastructure as well, allowing attackers to deploy and manage the ransomware remotely.

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Dealing with a ransomware attack?
Our ransomware recovery service can help

Our expert team works quickly to contain the breach, recover your data, and restore your systems to full operation. We’ll guide you through every step of the recovery process and help strengthen your defences to prevent future attacks. Regain control with Zensec - trusted support when it matters most.