DoppelPaymer is a sophisticated ransomware operation that emerged in May 2019, operating as a financially motivated cybercriminal enterprise focused on high-value targets across multiple sectors. The group is believed to have connections to Russia and operates independently rather than as a traditional Ransomware-as-a-Service model, though they have been linked to the earlier Dridex banking trojan operations and may share infrastructure or personnel with the Evil Corp cybercriminal organization. DoppelPaymer operators primarily gain initial access through phishing campaigns, exploitation of Remote Desktop Protocol vulnerabilities, and leveraging existing Dridex infections, utilizing tools such as Cobalt Strike, PowerShell Empire, and various living-off-the-land techniques before deploying their custom ransomware that employs RSA-2048 and AES-256 encryption algorithms. The group pioneered double extortion tactics by operating a leak site called "Dopple Leaks" where they publish stolen data from victims who refuse to pay ransoms, systematically exfiltrating sensitive information before encryption deployment. Notable campaigns include attacks on major healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, critical infrastructure targets, and educational institutions, with the group demanding ransoms typically ranging from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars, leading to FBI alerts and international law enforcement attention. As of recent observations, DoppelPaymer activity has significantly decreased since late 2021, with many researchers believing the group has either ceased operations or rebranded under a different identity following increased law enforcement pressure. The group has been linked to 25 public disclosures across our corpus. First observed on a leak site on May 25, 2019; most recent post September 23, 2021. The operation is currently inactive.
Also tracked as: Pay OR Grief, BitPaymer, IEncrypt, FriedEx.
Sector and geography
This disclosure adds to ransomware activity in the Government Facilities sector, which has 84 disclosures indexed across all operators we track. Geographically, Knoxville PD and City of Knoxville, TN (Knox County) is reported in United States, a country with 7,392 ransomware disclosures in our corpus.
How we know this. Darkfield monitors public ransomware leak sites continuously, archiving every new disclosure and the data later released against the victim. Each entry on this page is sourced from the operator's own publication and cross-checked against complementary OSINT feeds (RansomLook, ransomware.live, RansomWatch). We do not collect or host stolen data — only the metadata, timestamps and screenshots needed to make the public disclosure searchable and accountable. Records here are corrected when the original post is edited, retracted, or merged with another disclosure.
