Disclosure context

About Doppelpaymer

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 April 10, 2021. The operation is currently inactive.

Also tracked as: Pay OR Grief, BitPaymer, IEncrypt, FriedEx.

Timeline of this disclosure

April 17, 2020Afpa listed by Doppelpaymeron the group's public leak site

Sector and geography

This disclosure adds to ransomware activity in the Education sector, which has 694 disclosures indexed across all operators we track. Geographically, Afpa is reported in France, a country with 472 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.

Ransomware victim disclosure

← All victims

Afpa

Claimed by Doppelpaymer · listed 6 years ago

74m

Age

since listed · data leaked

Status timeline

Listed
Apr 17, 2020
Data leaked

At a glance

Group: Doppelpaymer
Status: Data leaked
Country: France
Sector: Education
Listed on leak site: Apr 17, 2020

About the victim

AI dossier — public-source company profile

Afpa (Association nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes) is France's leading adult vocational training organisation, operating a nationwide network of training centres across all French metropolitan regions. It offers over 900 training programmes spanning construction, industry, digital, hospitality, logistics, and other sectors, targeting job-seekers, career-changers, and businesses. Afpa is a public-interest organisation operating under the authority of the French Ministry of Labour.

Industry: Vocational & Professional Training
Address: 13 place du Général de Gaulle, 93108 Montreuil Cedex, France
Employees: 5001-10000
Founded: 1949

Attack summary

Severity: high — Afpa handles large volumes of personal data for adult learners and employees across France (a nationally significant public-interest body); the disclosed status is data_published, confirming actual exfiltration and public release of data, which elevates severity beyond medium even without a precise data inventory.

DoppelPaymer claimed an attack against Afpa and the case is listed as data_published, indicating that exfiltrated data was ultimately released on the group's leak site. No specific data volume or ransom demand was captured in the post.

high

Data the group says was taken

AI dossier — extracted from the leak post

Exfiltrated internal files (specific categories not captured)
Potentially employee/trainee personal data
Potentially business/financial records

Sources

Victim siteafpa.fr

Source

Indexed 6 years ago

This page surfaces a public ransomware disclosure indexed by Darkfield. Original posts come from the operator's own leak site; we cross-check against ransomware.live, RansomLook and RansomWatch where applicable. Share this URL freely.