Cyber Incident Victim: Gray Television
Date:
Mar 2023
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Gray Television was listed among the victims on the Cl0p ransomware gang's leak site as part of a broader campaign targeting multiple organizations, including prominent global brands and municipalities. The attackers exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Fortra's GoAnywhere managed file transfer tool to compromise systems, though specific details regarding the extent of data exposure or operational impact on the television network were not disclosed in available reports. This incident aligns with Cl0p's resurgence following a temporary hiatus, characterized by high-volume attacks leveraging third-party software vulnerabilities.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On March 23, 2023, the Cl0p ransomware gang listed US-based television network Gray Television among approximately 30 new victims added to its dark web leak site. The gang’s post did not disclose specific compromised data from Gray Television but indicated the company was targeted alongside other high-profile organizations, including Toronto Municipality, Mexican airline Volaris, and British conglomerate Virgin Group. Cl0p’s resurgence followed a temporary operational pause after law enforcement arrested several affiliates in late 2021. The group reemerged earlier in March 2023, initiating an aggressive campaign characterized by rapid victim acquisitions, with dozens of organizations reportedly added daily. Attack methodology centered on exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Fortra’s GoAnywhere managed file transfer (MFT) software, as confirmed by multiple victims. Gray Television’s inclusion on the leak site suggested potential unauthorized access to its systems via this third-party file transfer tool, though the company did not publicly confirm technical details or data exposure scope.
The incident occurred within a broader Cl0p ransomware spree impacting entities across sectors, including Shell, Hitachi, Bombardier, Stanford University, and Rubrik. Cl0p historically linked ransom demands to victim revenue estimates, though Gray Television’s financial demand—if any—remained undisclosed. Virgin Group’s parallel breach provided contextual insight, as the company clarified only its Virgin Red rewards program was compromised via the GoAnywhere exploit, with no customer or employee personal data at risk. Gray Television did not issue a public statement corroborating or refuting Cl0p’s claims, leaving operational impact unverified. The gang’s leak site served as both a pressure tactic to extort payments and a platform to showcase their reach, having previously amassed an estimated $500 million in ransom payouts by late 2021. Gray Television’s listing underscored the persistent threat of ransomware groups targeting supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly widely used enterprise tools like GoAnywhere MFT.