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CISA’s August 18, 2026 update says the agencies’ revised Medusa ransomware advisory reported more than 500 victims as of April 2026. The often-cited figure of more than 300 victims is an earlier snapshot: the FBI, CISA, and MS-ISAC reported it as of February 2025. Medusa uses encryption and threats to publish stolen data, so organizations should plan for both service disruption and data exposure.
What the Medusa ransomware warning says
Medusa is a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation first identified in June 2021, according to the FBI, CISA, and MS-ISAC’s March 12, 2025 joint advisory. RaaS means developers provide or operate ransomware capabilities with affiliates involved in attacks. The agencies describe a double-extortion approach: attackers encrypt data and threaten to release stolen information publicly if the victim does not pay.
The agencies’ victim totals are tied to different reporting cutoffs, not competing estimates of the same date. CISA’s August 18, 2026 bulletin says the updated advisory reported more than 500 impacted victims as of April 2026. That update was co-authored by CISA, the FBI, and HHS. The earlier advisory, co-authored by the FBI, CISA, and MS-ISAC, reported more than 300 victims as of February 2025.
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| Advisory and authors | Victim figure | Industries or sectors named |
|---|---|---|
| March 12, 2025 advisory: FBI, CISA, and MS-ISAC | More than 300 as of February 2025 | Medical, education, legal, insurance, technology, and manufacturing |
| August 18, 2026 update: CISA, FBI, and HHS | More than 500 as of April 2026 | Includes Healthcare and Public Health, Defense Industrial Base, Critical Manufacturing, Government Services and Facilities, Information Technology, and Financial Services, along with other industries |
How Medusa actors gain access and move through networks
The advisories describe observed methods; they do not say that every incident follows an identical sequence. The 2025 advisory reports that actors may use initial access brokers, phishing campaigns to steal credentials, or unpatched software vulnerabilities to get into a victim’s network. CISA’s 2026 summary specifically notes exploitation of newly disclosed, unpatched internet-facing vulnerabilities.
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Once inside, actors may use legitimate administration tools and “living off the land”—relying on tools already present in the environment—to blend in with normal activity. The agencies describe network and system discovery, followed by lateral movement using remote-access software, remote monitoring and management software, remote access services, or Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The reported pattern can include exfiltrating data before encrypting systems, leaving victims exposed to both operational disruption and extortion over stolen information.
What organizations should do to reduce risk
The agencies recommend layered controls rather than relying on a single product or safeguard. Prioritize changes according to organizational risk and exposure, especially for systems reachable from the internet and services that provide remote access.
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- Patch exposed systems: Apply risk-informed updates to operating systems, software, and firmware. Prioritize internet-facing systems and newly disclosed vulnerabilities that affect products in use.
- Segment networks: Separate systems and restrict pathways between network areas so a compromised device or account cannot move freely to critical services.
- Restrict remote access: Filter traffic so unknown or untrusted sources cannot reach internal remote services. Review RDP, remote access services, and remote management tools for necessity, exposure, and access controls.
- Use multifactor authentication: Require it wherever possible, with particular attention to webmail, VPNs, and accounts that can access critical systems.
- Monitor and validate controls: Monitor network traffic and validate security controls against the MITRE ATT&CK techniques listed in the 2025 advisory.
Build backups that can support recovery
Backups matter only if attackers cannot readily encrypt or delete them along with production data and the organization can restore them when needed. The 2025 advisory recommends maintaining multiple copies of important data in physically separate, segmented, secure locations; keeping offline backups; encrypting backup data; making it immutable; and regularly maintaining and testing restoration.
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- Whether the copy is physically or network-separated from production systems.
- Whether it is offline or protected against alteration and deletion.
- Whether backup data is encrypted and covers the organization’s important systems and data.
- How long copies are retained and how quickly the organization can restore them.
- Whether restoration is tested regularly, not merely assumed to work.
Should a victim pay a Medusa ransom?
The agencies say they do not encourage ransom payments. Payment does not guarantee that files will be recovered, and it may embolden adversaries or fund illicit activity. A payment decision also does not replace incident handling, recovery planning, or reporting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do after a ransomware incident
Report the incident promptly whether or not the organization has decided to pay. The March 2025 advisory lists the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a local FBI field office, and CISA’s incident reporting channels. For current reporting routes and instructions, use the official Medusa advisory and the relevant agencies’ current guidance.
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