Reported by 10 outlets

Timeline

1. original reporting

   Storm-3168: Agentic-driven cloud attacks using compromised service principals

   malware.news · 18d ago · September 25th, 2026

   In this article Attack overview Technical analysis Mitigation and protection guidance References Learn More Microsoft Security Research has identified malicious cloud activity associated with JADEPUFFER, a threat actor discovered by Sysdig in July 2026 and reported to be the first documented agentic ransomware operation. Our investigation found an extensive Azure-focused resource destruction activity using compromised service principals and cloud credential collection that could be used to facilitate future exfiltration. These findings expand the publicly documented activity associated with JADEPUFFER, tracked by Microsoft as Storm-3168, demonstrating an evolution in the threat actor’s cloud operations and providing the first detailed view into its Azure activity. We identified bulk destructive operations in a compromised Azure environment. The destructive operations were facilitated by compromising service principals and targeted Azure Storage Accounts, SQL databases, Key Vaults, Function Apps, recovery protection locks, Virtual Machines, and App Services. Organizations can reduce exposure by protecting workload identities and secrets, enforcing least privilege, safeguarding recovery resources, and en

2. update from sysdig.com

   JADEPUFFER evolves: The agentic threat actor deploys ransomware built to destroy AI models

   sysdig.com · 86d ago · July 20th, 2026

   Follow-up Sysdig report shows the same operator returning to the same Langflow instance with ENCFORGE, a UPX 5.20-packed Go 1.22.12 ransomware delivered as lockd, targeting roughly 180 file extensions weighted toward AI and ML artifacts such as .safetensors, .gguf, .ckpt, .faiss, and .parquet. After a failed binary fetch the agent built a working container escape through the Docker socket using privileged host-PID containers and nsenter in 5 minutes 24 seconds, and the report estimates rebuilding a production fine-tuned model costs $75,000 to $500,000. It provides SHA-256 hashes for the packed and unpacked binary, C2 34.153.223.102:9191, campaign task IDs gcp_h1 and gcp_test, and the extortion contact e78393397@proton.me shared with the July 1 report.

3. update from microsoft.com

   Storm-3168: Agentic-driven cloud attacks using compromised service principals

   microsoft.com · 18d ago · September 25th, 2026

   Publicly exposed credentials remain usable until revoked or rotated; removing the original disclosure alone does not remediate the exposure. This activity highlights a broader shift toward AI-orchestrated attacks, where t

4. update from www.microsoft.com

   (microsoft.com) Evolution of JADEPUFFER: Microsoft Uncovers Extensive Azure-Focused Destructive Operations by Storm-3168 In brief - This art

   www.microsoft.com · 18d ago · September 25th, 2026

   (microsoft.com) Evolution of JADEPUFFER: Microsoft Uncovers Extensive Azure-Focused Destructive Operations by Storm-3168 In brief - This art

   via Mastodon https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/09/25/storm-3168-agentic-driven-cloud-attacks-using-compromised-service-principals/

5. update from cyberpress.org

   Storm-3168 Uses Compromised Service Principals to Launch Agentic Attacks on Azure Cloud

   cyberpress.org · 17d ago · September 26th, 2026

   Microsoft has uncovered an Azure-focused destructive campaign tied to Storm-3168, also known as JADEPUFFER, in which compromised service principals automated reconnaissance, deleted cloud resources, disrupted recovery, and collected credentials. The activity is notable for its speed, coordinated use of multiple workload identities, and ransomware-aligned targeting of cloud data and recovery infrastructure. One identity spent roughly 15 hours and 30 minutes performing more than 300 successful read operations, enumerating virtual machines, subscriptions, resource groups, and other resources. Storm-3168 Uses Compromised Service Principals Attack overview (Source: microsoft) A second identity rapidly surveyed virtual machines and resource groups across two subscriptions, then later inspected App Service configuration stores, potentially seeking exposed secrets. Both principals communicated through infrastructure linked to Storm-3168 and used the python-requests/2.34.2 user agent. The operation shifted from discovery to destruction almost immediately. Less than one second after an unsuccessful ListKey request against a non-existent storage account, the attacker began a destructive sequence that lasted approximately seven minutes. In the following 35 minutes, the compromised identity attempted more than 150 destructive or credential-collection operations, including over 100 attempts to

6. update from gbhackers.com

   Storm-3168 Hackers Abuse Compromised Service Principals to Destroy Azure Cloud Resources

   gbhackers.com · 17d ago · September 26th, 2026

   The activity shows how a single exposed workload identity can give attackers the automation and permissions needed to cause rapid […] The post Storm-3168 Hackers Abuse Compromised Service Principals to Destroy Azure Cloud Resources appeared first on GBHackers Security | #1 Globally Trusted Cyber Security News Platform .

7. mentioned by www.microsoft.com

   https://www. microsoft.com/en-us/security/b log/2026/09/25/storm-3168-agentic-driven-cloud-attacks-using-compromised-service-principals/ # C

   www.microsoft.com · 17d ago · September 27th, 2026

8. mentioned by www.microsoft.com

   🤖 Microsoft details Storm-3168 (JADEPUFFER), the agentic ransomware op pivoting to Azure: compromised service principals drive control-plane

   www.microsoft.com · 16d ago · September 27th, 2026

9. mentioned by securityaffairs.com

   Storm-3168 linked to JADEPUFFER abused stolen Azure identities

   securityaffairs.com · 15d ago · September 28th, 2026

10. mentioned by thehackernews.com

    🤖 Storm-3168/JADEPUFFER abused compromised Azure service principals to run destructive operations — deleting resources over ~18h in early Ju

    thehackernews.com · 15d ago · September 28th, 2026

11. mentioned by www.microsoft.com

    Microsoft's Storm-3168 post shows how cloud destruction works now. Two compromised service principals, one tenant. One spent fifteen hours r

    www.microsoft.com · 15d ago · September 28th, 2026

12. update from bleepingcomputer.com

    JadePuffer agentic AI attacks target Azure, destroy cloud resources

    bleepingcomputer.com · 15d ago · September 28th, 2026

    The malware emerged in July, with researchers at cloud security company Sysdig highlighting that it uses AI agents to automate the entire attack chain , from reconnaissance, credential theft, and lateral movement to persistence and data encryption. Shortly after, the company noted that JadePuffer expanded its focus to AI assets, training datasets, and vector databases, using a tool called EncForge. Although the threat actor was able to delete most of the targeted Azure Storage accounts, some remained unaffected because of Azure resource locks and storage account-level protections. Microsoft tracks the JadePuffer threat actor as Storm-3168 and says it used two compromised service principals - security identities that enable applications, hosted services, and automated tools to authenticate to Azure and access assigned resources.

13. mentioned by www.bleepingcomputer.com

    JadePuffer agentic AI attacks target Azure, destroy cloud resources https:// bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ jadepuffer-agentic-ai-attac

    www.bleepingcomputer.com · 15d ago · September 28th, 2026

14. update from osintsights.com

    Microsoft Warns of Azure Identity Hijacking in Destructive Cloud Attacks In just 18 hours, a concentrated cloud assault on an Azure tenant c

    osintsights.com · 15d ago · September 28th, 2026

    Microsoft Warns of Azure Identity Hijacking in Destructive Cloud Attacks In just 18 hours, a concentrated cloud assault on an Azure tenant c

    via Mastodon https://osintsights.com/microsoft-warns-of-azure-identity-hijacking-in-destructive-cloud-attacks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

15. update from cyberpress.org

    Storm-3168 Targets Azure Storage, Key Vaults and Backups in Destructive Cloud Attacks

    cyberpress.org · 14d ago · September 29th, 2026

    In an incident observed in early June 2026, attackers used two compromised service principals application identities used to access cloud resources to map a victim’s environment, delete storage accounts and collect access keys. They also tried to remove protections tied to backup and recovery. However, Microsoft said the timing and parallel operations in this incident strongly indicate automation or scripting; its report does not establish that AI directed every Azure action. A second service principal also surveyed the environment before carrying out the destructive activity.

16. mentioned by gbhackers.com

    Hackers Use Compromised Service Principals to Delete Azure Storage and Steal Cloud Credentials

    gbhackers.com · 14d ago · September 29th, 2026

17. mentioned by www.bleepingcomputer.com

    # JadePuffer agentic # AI attacks target # Azure , destroy cloud resources https://www. bleepingcomputer.com/news/secu rity/jadepuffer-agent

    www.bleepingcomputer.com · 14d ago · September 29th, 2026

18. mentioned by securityonline.info

    Microsoft ties a JADEPUFFER Azure attack to Storm-3168, the agentic ransomware actor that tried to delete 100+ storage accounts in seven min

    securityonline.info · 13d ago · September 30th, 2026