New '0APT' Extortion Group Fakes Data Breach in Bluff Attack on Australian Hospital
A new extortion group calling itself '0APT' has targeted Australia's Epworth HealthCare, claiming to have stolen 920GB of sensitive patient and financial data. The group listed the hospital on its darknet leak site on February 4, 2026, threatening to publish the data if a ransom was not paid. However, Epworth HealthCare conducted a thorough investigation with external cybersecurity experts and found "no verified evidence of any impact to our systems or data." Cybersecurity researchers have corroborated this, assessing that 0APT is likely a "fake" ransomware operation. The group's modus operandi involves posting a high volume of victims without providing credible proof of a breach, instead using empty files or random data streams. This tactic relies on psychological pressure and the threat of reputational damage to extort payment, representing a shift from technical intrusion to pure intimidation.