The Chaos ransomware group is a threat actor that emerged in 2021, initially gaining attention for its destructive capabilities and evolving rapidly over time. While early variants blurred the line between ransomware and wiper malware, later versions shifted toward a more conventional financially motivated ransomware model, targeting small to medium-sized organizations across multiple sectors.

Chaos employs data encryption combined with extortion, though some campaigns have shown limited or inconsistent data recovery even after payment, damaging the group’s credibility among victims. Initial access is commonly achieved through phishing emails, malicious downloads, and exploitation of exposed services, after which the malware attempts to disable security tools and backups to increase impact.

Technically, Chaos is known for frequent variant updates, changes in encryption routines, and experimentation with different delivery methods. Its development reflects the broader ransomware ecosystem’s low barrier to entry, where new or less sophisticated actors reuse leaked source code and commodity tools. As a result, Chaos represents a persistent risk, particularly for organizations lacking strong email security, endpoint protection, and backup hygiene.