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Cybersecurity teams are closely watching a newly confirmed ransomware incident involving the threat actor group known as Safepay. On May 11, 2025, the group publicly listed the domain join-the-quest.co.uk as one of its victims. The report was disclosed by ThreatMon, a dark web monitoring and ransomware intelligence provider, through their official X (Twitter) account.
join-the-quest.co.uk, a UK-based gaming or promotional website (based on its domain and branding), now appears to be the latest casualty in a disturbing pattern of targeted ransomware attacks.
Events
Threat Actor Identified: Safepay, a ransomware group known for its activities on the dark web.
Victim Domain: [join-the-quest.co.uk](http://join-the-quest.co.uk)
Date of Compromise: May 11, 2025, at 21:56:32 UTC +3.
Source of Report: ThreatMon Ransomware Monitoring, an intelligence feed focused on dark web ransomware activity.
Method of Disclosure: Public announcement via X post on May 12, 2025.
Platform Mentioned: ThreatMon is part of the ThreatMon end-to-end intelligence platform, offering indicators of compromise (IOC) and command-and-control (C2) infrastructure data for defenders.
Impact: No specific ransom demand, data leak confirmation, or method of initial access disclosed at the time of reporting.
Victim Profile: Based on the domain name and structure, the victim may be related to an online game, marketing campaign, or interactive platform.
Previous Activities: Safepay has been linked with similar mid-level extortion campaigns across the UK and EU regions, targeting small-to-medium businesses and web platforms.
No Known Data Dump (Yet): As of now, no data from the breach appears to have been leaked or traded on popular forums or leak sites monitored by researchers.
Common Techniques: Safepay often leverages phishing, RDP brute force, and unpatched CMS vulnerabilities to gain initial access.
Mitigation Measures (General Advice): Organizations are urged to patch known vulnerabilities, implement MFA, monitor outbound connections, and maintain up-to-date backups.
Motivation: Financial, with potential secondary goals including surveillance, reputational damage, or establishing footholds for lateral attacks.
What Undercode Say:
This attack fits into a broader trend of ransomware groups moving toward mid-sized, low-profile digital targets instead of large enterprise giants. The rationale? Lower detection thresholds, faster extortion cycles, and weaker cybersecurity defenses.
âjoin-the-quest.co.ukâ may not seem like a high-value target at first glance, but thatâs precisely why itâs vulnerable. It likely operates with limited IT staff, minimal segmentation between public-facing services and internal systems, and possibly outdated software or third-party plugins vulnerable to exploitation.
From a pattern analysis of previous Safepay activities, itâs likely that this group relies on ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) models, renting out their toolkits to less sophisticated cybercriminals. The group then shares in the profits of any ransom paid.
A closer look at the
The domain âjoin-the-quest.co.ukâ could also imply the site was running a WordPress or similar CMS, which if unpatched, is a common initial attack vector. Phishing remains a major concern for such public platformsâespecially those interacting with users, game clients, or promotional campaigns.
Safepay has shown a preference for publicly naming victims before initiating any negotiation. This tactic puts pressure on the victims while making the attack seem larger and more authoritative to outsiders. This public shaming model also makes it easier for cybersecurity researchers to monitor campaigns in near real time.
If no ransom is paid within a certain window (often 5â10 days), the group typically threatens to leak sensitive data or offer access to other criminal buyers on the dark web.
So far, ThreatMon has not confirmed whether join-the-quest.co.uk paid a ransom or entered into negotiations.
From an OSINT (open-source intelligence) perspective, no visible data dump has occurred yet. However, these events tend to unfold in stages: initial compromise â listing â negotiation â leak or silence. We’re currently in stage two.
Companies running similar websitesâespecially in entertainment, gaming, or interactive mediaâshould treat this as a wake-up call. These sectors often rely on high engagement and brand trust, both of which are damaged significantly by ransomware incidents, even if no data is leaked.
In summary, while the target might seem minor, this attack underscores how cybersecurity needs to be a priority even for niche platforms, particularly those with user interaction, login systems, or data storage responsibilities.
Fact Checker Results
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Confirmed Victim Announcement: Publicly listed by ThreatMon with timestamp and actor attribution.
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Verified Ransomware Actor: Safepay known in threat intelligence circles, with prior listings.
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No Confirmed Data Leak (Yet): As of May 12, 2025, no public data dump was found related to this victim.
Prediction
Given the typical behavior of the Safepay group, if join-the-quest.co.uk fails to meet ransom demands, we can expect:
A data leak or further extortion threat within 5â7 days.
Potential reappearance of stolen data on dark web leak sites or Telegram groups.
Increased targeting of similar platforms, especially in the UK, by either Safepay or affiliates observing their tactics.
Uptick in similar reports from ThreatMon and competing intelligence sources as threat actors become more aggressive in public disclosures.
More broadly, this case highlights how 2025 may mark a shift toward the monetization of âsoft targetsââwebsites that arenât high-value but are easy to penetrate, quick to list, and sometimes desperate enough to pay.
References:
Reported By: x.com
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