NightSpire Ransomware has emerged as a serious threat to
enterprises in Vietnam and worldwide. Since early 2025, NightSpire has
proven to be more than just another ransomware strain — it is the
creation of a highly organized cybercriminal group, operating with
ruthless strategies and professional-level attacks.
Understanding NightSpire’s attack mechanisms and its level of
sophistication is the first crucial step in building effective defense
strategies to protect your enterprise’s digital assets.
What is NightSpire Ransomware and why is it dangerous?
NightSpire operates under the “Double Extortion” model — one of
the most dangerous tactics today.
.png)
🔒 Data Encryption
Infiltrates and encrypts all critical enterprise data.
📤 Data Theft & Exposure
Steals sensitive information and publishes it on leak sites.
⏳ Psychological Pressure
Uses threats and coercion to pressure victims into paying ransom.
🌐 Global Victims
From China and Taiwan to the U.S., Japan, and Hong Kong — no industry is safe.
How NightSpire Operates
NightSpire uses Hybrid Encryption, combining both
Block and Full encryption techniques:
- Block Encryption: Encrypts only 1MB segments of large,
critical files (.iso, .vhdx, .zip, .bak, .mdf, etc.) for fast impact.
- Full Encryption: Encrypts smaller files like
documents and images entirely, making recovery nearly impossible.
File structure after encryption
When infected, NightSpire changes file extensions to.nspire and creates areadme.txt containing victim UUID and
contact channels.
.png)
Figure 1: Files encrypted with .nspire extension and readme.txt created
.png)
Figure 2: Contents of Readme.txt
Impact on Cloud Data
NightSpire can affect synced cloud files such as OneDrive, encrypting
them locally and forcing upload of encrypted versions — overwriting
clean backups.
Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)
Below are key indicators to support detection and incident response:
V3 Antivirus Solution
Ransomware/Win.Nightspire.C5769860
Ransomware/Win.Nightspire.C5775165
Ransom/MDP.Decoy.M1171
EDR Solution
Ransom/EDR.Decoy.M2470
Ransom/MDP.Event.M1946
IoC Hashes
MD5: 2bf543faf679a374af5fc4848eea5a98
MD5: e2d7d65a347b3638f81939192294eb13
What enterprises must do today
1. Vulnerability Assessment & Patching
Conduct regular penetration testing and vulnerability scans.
2. Implement Layered Defense
Adopt EDR, SIEM, and network detection solutions.
3. Secure Backup
Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule and verify recovery capability.
4. Employee Awareness Training
Regularly train staff on phishing and social engineering threats.
Don’t wait until an incident occurs.
Contact HPT today to receive professional
cybersecurity consultation and build a strong defense for your
organization.
Contact Now