Summary
On October 8, 2025, the ransomware group Sinobi publicly claimed responsibility for an attack targeting
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch (dakotaranch.org), a U.S.-based organization providing residential treatment and educational services for children and their families.
According to the threat actor’s post, sensitive data could be released unless negotiations are initiated.
Incident Report
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Target | Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch |
| Domain | dakotaranch.org |
| Country | USA |
| Attacking Group | Sinobi |
| Date Reported | October 8, 2025 |
| Threat Actor Statement | “The full leak will be published soon, unless a company representative contacts us via the channels provided.” |
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, founded in 1952 and headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, is a Christian residential treatment and educational center known for its services to children and their families. The Sinobi group, known for its ransomware attacks, has claimed responsibility for this breach.
In the face of such ransomware threats, organizations must proactively monitor the dark web for potential threats and leaked data. Using tools such as the email breach checker can help companies stay vigilant and protect their assets from cybercriminals.
Recommendations
- Monitor your domains and email addresses for exposure using reputable threat intelligence tools.
- Conduct a full compromise assessment and incident response drill internally.
- Verify backups and ensure they are offline and ransomware-resistant.
- Educate staff on phishing, social engineering, and lateral movement techniques used by groups like Qilin.
- Engage with cyber forensics and legal counsel before initiating contact with threat actors.
Check Your Exposure
Wondering if your organization or employees are impacted by recent breach activity?
- Check domain-wide breach exposure:
mspdarkintel.com/domain-breach-scan - Check if an email was breached:
mspdarkintel.com/email-breach-scan
Disclaimer
The MSPDarkIntel team does not engage in the exfiltration, downloading, taking, hosting, viewing, reposting, or disclosure of any stolen information.
All breach data reported here is sourced from publicly available threat intelligence feeds for awareness and early-warning purposes only.
Our goal is to inform organizations of emerging threats so they can take timely defensive action.
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